Terminal Extras
by rain0205
Summary: Extra chapters, deleted scenes, q and a's, what ifs?, alternate endings, mini stories and reader requests all neatly wrapped up here. let the adventures continue! WARNING: read Terminal State before approaching.
1. Love Like Winter: Preparations

hello there! so this is something that sort of floated around in my head over the last week. I also plan on using this story to add in extra chapters like deleted scenes from the main story. I'm also fully willing to take requests Gladio and Cia related, special what-ifs should you wish just drop me a line via pm or review. also will be posting a q and a should anyone have questions that I can answer without spoiling the story.

For anyone new that has no idea what Cia is please go to **Terminal State** and read it first. Otherwise, a lot of this is not going to make any sense.

so this chapter specifically is not really part of the main story whatsoever just sort of an extra I wanted to write. enjoy!

...

The grey overcast in the sky above allowed gentle and steady falling snowflakes to break through the magical barrier and rest on anything in its path. The wind was non-existent, aside from maybe a whispering breeze here and there. The entire city of Insomnia was coated in a few inches of snow. Children played, making angels and snow people. Others skated in rinks or played various sports wherever they could. The temperature wasn't overly cold but still enough to have to dress warmly, holidays fast approaching and the city decorated as citizens waited impatiently for such a festive day. Lots were taking time off work to spend with their families, enjoying something that came around only once a year.

Doctor Athenacia Virum was not one of those people. Instead, she was in the hospital checking the inside of the umpteenth dreaded holiday influenza victim of the day. She kept her professional face on as she worked, though internally she was a little sick of seeing them. Every year it was the same thing and she grew tired of repetition. She was surrounded by people being festive and while she didn't want to put a damper on their spirits, she just couldn't share their enthusiasm. Usually, they were all with their families enjoying the time together. But for an orphan, it was just a reminder that she didn't have any. When she was little she would be with the other kids in the orphanage with one of the staff there that volunteered. When she was living with Cor she would go to a day group with other kids since he was often working. When she lived on her own she would spend it by herself in a bar with other sad patrons. When she was a Glaive she would be with other outsiders, enjoying it for the first time that she could remember. Once she started working in the hospital she was either here so that others could have the time off or volunteering at the orphanage she grew up in. Of course, no one knew she used to be a resident but she at least had an idea of what those kids were going through and it was better than being bitter on her own. She had grown up a lot over the years.

This year it would likely be the same thing. She would be here in the emergency department tending to patients with new staff. Not that she minded it so much, it kept her busy. She took the tongue depressor out of her patient's mouth and tossed into the nearby garbage before pulling out her tablet to update the file. It was then replaced back into the pocket of her lab coat. She wrote a prescription for her patient, smiling at him briefly before removing her blue latex gloves and depositing them into the garbage as well. She ran her hands through the alcohol sanitizer and left the examination room. She sighed once she got out, rolling her eyes slightly at Tash who was waiting for her at the nurse's station.

"Is it quitting time yet?" asked Dr. Virum, walking over there and leaning her arms on the ledge.

"Think you're about done," replied the older woman, pushing her glasses up when she raised her head.

Dr. Virum looked up at the clock and raised her eyebrows, "Actually I have about five minutes left."

"Never seen you so eager to clock out before."

"Never had a good reason before."

Tash smiled, "Well you got five minutes, this patient will be quick."

She groaned, "Really? Can't it wait for my relief?"

The resident nurse raised a brow, smirking, "Trust me, you'll want to see this one."

Dr. Vrium huffed a little before grabbing her tablet and pulling out her patient file. 23 year old male, mild chest pain, headache, sore ankles. What was Tash thinking? Why would she possibly want to spend time diagnosing someone like that? There was nothing quick about this, too many symptoms. They didn't even match, absolutely absurd. She kept a frown on her face as she walked, opening the glass sliding door and pulling back the curtain. She put the tablet back into her pocket, closing the door and grabbing another set of blue latex gloves.

"Okay, what seems to be-"

She stopped midway through her sentence. She had one glove halfway on before she actually looked at her patient and then let out an exasperated sigh. Though she kept a smile on her face as much as she wished she couldn't. She gave the man on the gurney a raised brow, trying to wipe that grin off her face while one of her hands came to rest on her hip. Shaking her head slightly, she biting her lip a little at the gaze he was giving her and looking away shyly for only a moment.

"Hey, Doc!"

Gladiolus greeted her, that crooked grin on his face and enjoying every second of her reaction to him. He knew her shift was about to end and was lucky that he had run into Tash when he came to pick her up. She had no idea he was coming of course so he came up with the idea to surprise her in a way that he used to before they started dating. It had been about a week since their schedules lined up and he wanted to make sure that she didn't take on any extra work. He had plenty of free time with the holidays coming up and wanted to spend a lot of it with her. Since they started seeing each other she looked a lot less haggard than usual. In fact, she had natural colour to her cheeks, her highlighted short blond hair stuck up in that ponytail at the top of her head. It had a small hang to it instead of sticking straight out like usual. She barely wore any makeup to hide her sleep deprivation and that light he liked so much in her hazel eyes that weren't bloodshot was shining so brightly at him right now. He couldn't help but smile at her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to be stern.

"I'm hurt. Need medical attention," he shrugged.

She giggled, "Headache, mild chest pain and sore ankles?" she raised a brow at him.

"Missing you, Doc."

"And how does missing me lead to sore ankles?"

"Takes a lot walking to get here."

"You drive."

"Well, I can't drive into the hospital Doc."

"Seems to me you know the cause of your symptoms."

"I know. Came here for the remedy," he winked at her.

She laughed despite herself, even as he rose from the gurney and walked toward her. He closed the curtain so that no one could see them and then took her in his arms. She stopped her chuckles, putting a hand on his chest and looking down completely red-faced. He gently lifted her chin so that he could look at her and then kissed her before she could protest. She was shocked for a moment before allowing her eyelids to fall closed. She'd be lying to herself if she tried to deny that she had missed him too. Though they were texting religiously it wasn't the same as being here with him like this. She almost felt weak in the knees, even as they broke apart. Her small white teeth claimed her bottom lip in a shy manner, looking up at him with her face flushed. He kept that same grin played across his lips, moving some stray hairs out of her face before starting to come in at her again.

But that was when her pager went off. She snapped back to reality in an instant, pulling it out to have a look. She was needed on the floor immediately, pushing him away and giving him an apologetic look. But he just nodded at her, loving how she sprung into action in complete doctor mode. She didn't even think twice, racing out of the room and heading toward the commotion. There was a patient being wheeled in on a stretcher with a paramedic straddling her while giving her CPR. Gladiolus watched as they went into another examination room and then the curtains were closed. He walked over to Tash who was still at the nurse's station and waited. No rest for the wicked it seemed. Didn't matter, he would wait an eternity for her, that much he already knew.

When she was finished with her work she met him in the waiting room, freshly showered and ready to go. She had a white hat on since it was cold outside and a form-fitting winter jacket that had buttons all along the front. The scarf at her neck hung down over the top of the jacket as well. She wore black gloves with pink stripes on the knuckles and down to the wrists, her purse hanging at her hip still. Her jeans were dark blue and tucked into her knee high boots that had a modest and thick heel at the bottom of it. She smiled at him and he took her small hand within his own, leading out of the glass sliding doors and toward where his car was parked. It was evening, perfect time for dinner and she was so happy that he had surprised her like this. Even if her day was long and boring at least her night would be better.

One of the things he liked the most about her was that she was very easy to please when it came to food. He had grown up eating some of the best foods Insomnia had to offer but his love of cupped noodles had him in some of the more local restaurants. He did note that Athenacia loved food trucks the most and tonight was no exception to that rule. They were in a lower part of the city where mostly outsiders liked to stay. He didn't spend a lot of time here until the two of them started dating. He stood out sure, but she was most comfortable in the crowds here instead of where he would often frequent. He didn't mind in the slightest, the upcoming festivities taking the attention away from him at this time of year. They were sat at a picnic table catching up on the last week since they last saw each other.

"Sounds like you're going to have a lot of free time," she said, commenting on how a lot of his training was going to be suspended.

"Sort of. The ball usually just means work for me," he shrugged, taking a bite of his food.

She reached for one of his fries, "Yes, so much work getting paid to attend a fancy party," she replied, voice dripping with sarcasm as she laughed.

"Wouldn't be half bad if our Prince didn't mope around the whole time."

"He doesn't like it?" she frowned.

"He's not really into his Princely duties. Something I gotta beat it into him every once in a while."

"Well... not everyone can be so accepting of their duty. I don't exactly like the spotlight either."

"Don't got a choice in the matter."

"No," she sighed, "Not always."

He was about to speak again when his phone went off. He waited and she took more of his fries while he wasn't looking. He slapped her hand playfully until his face went serious. He let out an exasperated sigh, the person on the other end obviously delivering unwanted news. She tried to ignore it, not wanting to pry into his business. Though Gladiolus only said a few words she knew that this wasn't going to be a good night for him. He hung up the phone, putting it back in his pocket.

"Son of a-"

"What is it?"

But he didn't answer her, halfway out of his chair and walking toward his car without another word. She looked after him completely confused with no idea of what she should be doing right now. She had never seen him like this but hoped that everything was alright.

...

Ignis sighed internally once he was out of the conference room at the Citadel. While everyone was getting ready for the holidays the war raged on and there was no rest for the council. The Advisor took it upon himself to make sure he was properly informed so that he could keep Noctis in the loop. Of course, the young Prince didn't show much interest, distracted by the upcoming festivities. Okay, more like brooding about the annual ball but Ignis wished to show him that despite what was going on around the city there was still important business at hand that did not rest just because it was a holiday. He got into his car, a whole new set of problems running through his head. He had plenty of things to do in order to get ready for that ball. He was already stressed out at the thought of going over the details with the Prince, knowing how the conversation would go. There had to be an easier way to do things. Unfortunately, there was no time to figure it out. He faithfully made his way out of the Citadel parking lot and toward the dwelling of his charge.

It didn't take him too long to get there and he heaved a heavy sigh as soon as he walked inside. There was a giant mess that resembled a very close relation to one he had cleaned up a few floors down in Dr. Virum's apartment. Feeling an all too familiar headache reach him he began to clean up. Noctis, of course, was nowhere to be seen which made things easier despite annoying him at the same time. It took a matter of hours to get things back into order which meant that he was behind schedule and that didn't sit well with him at all. He gazed at the time and frowned, noting that the Prince was far too late himself. They had matters to discuss, not to mention dinner should have been ready by now. Ignis was starting it now but the fact that there was no sign of his charge only worried him.

There was no help for it. Ignis didn't want to leave just in case the missing Prince showed up while he was out and then more time would be wasted. He had no choice but to enlist the help of someone else to find him and bring him back home. He held off as long as possible but since dinner was about halfway done he had to do something. He pulled out his phone, calling the only person that may be able to track down Noctis and bring him back without too many protests. He could tell from the laughter on the other side of the line he had interrupted something and that only made him feel worse.

...

Noctis cheered as he once again took over the high score of the game he was playing. He knew that he had things to do later in the day but when Prompto had come over to his house the two of them were so bored that they decided the arcade was the best way to cure them of their ailment. It was then that he realized how long it had been since he let loose like this, enjoying his time for far longer than he meant to. He knew he was getting into deep water ignoring his phone the entire night but he wanted to deal with it later. After today there was no way that he was going to get any more of these excursions until maybe after the holidays. He was dreading his part in it all but knew there was no getting out of it. So might as well enjoy what little freedom he could get before all of his time would be occupied by the second.

Prompto had long since disappeared, finding a group of girls that were obviously not interested in him. Not that the Prince cared too much for that he hated extra attention. At least his friend was nice enough to keep that away from him in the event he get involved. He shook his head, turning around to go find another game only to bump into something that was not there before. He grunted, nearly falling over but managing to catch his balance beforehand. He was about to figure out what the big idea was until he realized that he was face to face with a glowering form of Gladiolus, arms crossed and a very nasty look on his face. That was when he sighed, knowing that if the big man was here than all of his fun was over. And judging from the scowl he was not happy to be here collecting him.

"Move," commanded Gladiolus darkly, his amber eyes narrowing.

He didn't answer, knowing better than to challenge the Shield in a mood like this. He called for Prompto and then gave a wave before following him toward the exit. Prompto caught up, about to open his mouth but Noctis just elbowed him before he could say anything. It was a very tense walk toward the car, one in the back and one in the front while Gladiolus took off a little rougher than he meant to. Still, no one spoke, that hard look on the older man making them a little afraid to even test it. Noctis kept his gaze out the window, a sullen look on his face while his head rested on his hand. Prompto was behind him, more nervous than usual. He should have just stayed where he was, not liking what he happened to have walked into. They were broken out of their thoughts as soon as they heard the speakers in the car ringing, trying to connect a phone call.

"Yes?"

Noctis looked over at the stereo, hearing Athenacia's voice inside the car.

"Where are you?" asked Gladiolus, his voice gruff.

"Walking on the street because some jerk picked me up from work and then just ditched without saying anything, leaving me stranded to get home without my car in the cold winter night," she replied.

Her voice may have sounded pleasant but the three men in the car knew she was upset about what just happened. Noctis and Prompto looked at Gladiolus in alarm, not believing what they heard.

"I'm on my way," he said, the sigh in his tone evident.

"Don't bother, I'm almost at the train station."

"Stay put."

"Gladio-"

But he hung up on her before she could protest. He knew that she would argue until she got her way and since he was the one who screwed up here he wanted to fix it. He was very aware of the two younger men staring at him after what they just heard and that only infuriated him further. The scowl on his face deepened as the seconds passed by and every obstacle he could find was delaying him further from getting back to Athenacia. He knew she wouldn't wait too long for him and he wasn't interested in chasing her down right now. He had enough of that for today.

"When you can't meet your own obligations, it disrupts other people's lives," said Gladiolus darkly.

Noctis sighed, looking away again, "I know."

"But you did it anyway."

"I didn't think Iggy would send you after me."

"You didn't think at all!"

The large man roared and it made Prompto flinch. Noctis remained unresponsive, knowing that fighting him on this was useless. It really was his own fault right now, no sense in acting like a child. He knew he would face consequences if they happened to be the wrath of Gladiolus then so be it. He just felt bad that somehow Athenacia was dragged into this, remembering how uncomfortable she was around him. They were friends sort of, but the accusations against her being a traitor made her self-conscious to be seen anywhere near him so that often meant he rarely saw her. She had no idea that he was here in the car and wouldn't until she was already inside.

"So... you just left her there?" asked Prompto.

"Didn't have much of a choice," replied Gladiolus, his voice still dark.

The young man let out a small laugh, "You are _so_ lucky she puts up with you."

Gladiolus grunted but didn't say anything about it. Prompto was completely right, Gladiolus was lucky that she even answered the phone on the first try after the way he had up and left. He was so upset about being interrupted on his date after finally seeing her for the first time in a week he just wanted to deal with this matter quickly. He was halfway to the arcade before he realized he left without saying anything. Stupid. They weren't in the car long before pulling onto the road where the train station she was talking about was. He parked on the street, looking over at the Prince with that same scowl on his face.

"Get in the back," was all he said before getting out of the car.

The Shield walked toward the station stairs leading down, looking for the small doctor. She wasn't in sight. He frowned before heading down the stairs three at a time. He kept his eyes peeled for her, looking for that white hat in the mass of crowds. He finally spotted her, just as the train was coming in and made a beeline for her. He didn't have a problem pushing through people thanks to his size, reaching out his arm and grabbing her just before she boarded through the doors. She let out a cry of surprise, getting ready to attack the person that grabbed her only to stop in her tracks as soon as she laid eyes on him. She gave him a glare but the look on his face told her that she needed to hear the story behind this before she judged.

Keeping a thoughtful frown, she heard the train depart and she started to walk after the large man that was heading back the way he came. She had to practically sprint to catch up to him given that he was walking really fast. Yeah, he was definitely upset about something and she knew that he probably didn't mean to just ditch her on the spot like that. Once they had gotten up the steps she followed him to his car that was parked on the street. At least he had come back for her. He opened the door for her, something he rarely did and she smiled at the thought of him making up for the mistake he had made. Her dirty mind wondered how far she could make him go and a slight blush crept to her cheeks, her face looking downward.

Until she saw who was in the car. She gasped, her eyes widening before she took a step back and tried to stand straight up. But a large hand had her in the car before she could protest and she flinched when the door was slammed shut beside her. She kept her eyes on her feet the colour drained from her face completely, even as the driver got into his seat.

"I should take the train," she said instantly, her hand going for the door handle.

Gladiolus took off before she had a chance to open the door, "Don't bother."

"Do you honestly think I can't tuck and roll?" she glared at him.

The look he returned shocked her and she instantly took her hand away, folding them in her lap and looking back at her feet. She had never seen him this upset before and decided challenging him was probably not a good idea. She would just have to hope that no one recognized her along the way. The car was quiet the entire ride, all of them looking out their own window except for Gladiolus who was focused on the road. Athenacia let her eyes wander over the lights decorating the streets, residences and businesses everywhere they went. The citizens really got into the festive spirit and sometimes she wished she could join their excitement. She jumped a little when she felt Gladiolus grab her hand, looking over at him in shock before allowing their fingers to intertwine. He still had a scowl on his face but gave her a reassuring squeeze and she felt bad for being so upset with him before.

They turned down a more residential street and there were more creative designs in the decorations. She had never been down here before, never having a reason. She held a small smile as she looked on, wondering if the house beside the one she grew up in put on their usual display of lights. It was the only time she really ever enjoyed herself during the holiday, when she didn't feel so alone. That was almost like a lifetime ago. As she was still within her thoughts they started to decelerate and then finally stop in front of a house that she could have sworn she had seen the outside of before. Gladiolus put the car in park.

"Get out," he commanded, his voice still hard.

"I'll.. call you later?" said Prompto uneasily, looking over at Noctis.

"Sure," shrugged the Prince, still sullen about earlier.

Prompto opened the door, "Bye Cia."

"Good night," she nodded at him before he shut the door.

They left instantly, her hand still in the large man's and the car feeling tense still. She tried to keep her mind from the fact that she was in the same car as the Prince. She was just happy that it was nighttime so it would be a lot harder for anyone to see them. She started to recognize the streets, knowing that they were headed back toward the apartment building where both herself and the royal in the back lived. Though she had lived there for years without the knowledge that he did too she considered moving quite a few times so that people didn't happen to catch on. Thanks to her childhood she had avoided anyone (except Grun) coming around to her home. It was a complete accident that she found out she was bunking with the Prince and after that, it would have been hard for Gladiolus not to come over as often as he could. Not like she was home much anyway.

When he parked in the underground parking the three of them got out and she was trying to make herself small. They got into the elevator, tensions still high and she reached out to push the button for her floor after Gladiolus swiped his card. But he just grabbed her wrist and gave her a scowl, stopping her in her tracks. He pulled her so that she took a step back but she swiftly managed to hit the button with her other hand. She shook out of his grasp as the seventh floor came and the doors open. She was going to exit the lift but was stopped by a hand grabbing her scarf and pulling her back inside.

"Gladio!" she shouted in protest.

"I'm not done with you yet," he said, his voice hard and silencing anything else she might say.

She was red-faced as she took a step away from him, standing beside Noctis while the elevator went up higher. She bumped shoulders with him and then took another step away.

"Sorry," he muttered to her under his breath.

"It's fine," she whispered, afraid to even blink at this point.

Once they reached the desired floor at the top of the building, Noctis exited first. Gladiolus stood there with his arms crossed until Athenacia finally followed after him. She did not want to be up here at all, her nerves causing anxiety to build up in her stomach. She flinched when she felt an arm come around her shoulders, guiding her gently down the hall and toward the door. Noctis opened it, stepping through and then that left her to come in as well. She released a deep breath, white-faced completely and jumping when the door closed behind her. She had never been here before, refused every chance she could get. But for whatever reason, she had let Gladiolus bully her into it and she was not happy about it whatsoever.

"Relax," she felt his breath behind her ear, "No one can see you in here."

"But what if-"

She was silenced by a finger to her lips, his stern face coming into view. She looked up at him with pleading hazel eyes, wishing that he would just let her go home. He kissed her forehead and she felt some of her fears melt away. She released another large breath, nodding at him before removing her wet boots. He didn't wait for her, walking out of the foyer and down the hall toward the main room. She took a step up onto the hardwood floor, passing a bathroom and then took a peek into the next door. It was his bedroom, spotless and she raised a brow. But then she remembered the comment Ignis had made once about the Prince's poor living habits and she figured that the other man must have cleaned things. She came toward where all the lights were on and saw the main part of the apartment. While this unit was not a corner one like her place, there was a wall of windows similar to her own living room that had a door to the overly large balcony. There was a sectional couch where she would have her window sill and the same lining of shelves on one wall she had. the kitchen was much more open than her own, having no nook but a very large table that separated it and the living room.

It was the source of the smell, Noctis sitting down at the table and enjoying his meal. Gladiolus had his arms crossed and that same scowl on his face as she was standing just a step behind him. She noted that the room was also spotless and Ignis had taken his seat across from the Prince, his plate already cleared but a folder sitting in front of him. Athenacia felt nervous still, especially when the man's gaze seemed to find her. She flushed, her hands going to the back of the large man in front of her and instinctively hiding behind him.

"Apologies, Dr. Virum. It was not my intention to interrupt your outing," said Ignis calmly.

"It's fine," she replied instantly, her voice squeaking a little. She was a dark shade of crimson right now.

"We done here?" asked Gladiolus his voice still hard.

"Unless the two of you would care for something to eat," Ignis spoke though he was sure that there wouldn't be a need to get up.

"We already ate."

"As I suspected. I'm sure Noct will be kind enough to respect his own duties from now on."

"Yeah, yeah," replied the Prince though muffled.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," snapped Gladiolus.

His arms dropped, reaching for the woman behind him. He managed to catch one of her hands, holding it in his own firmly and pulling her from her hiding spot. He felt her body relax just a little but knew that she wouldn't be happy until she got out of here. Since there was nothing left to do, he nodded at Ignis and turned to leave but not before glaring at his charge as he did so. Athenacia heard Ignis open up the folder in front of him, beginning to speak of a meeting that was held with the King and the council regarding the war. She frowned, unable to stop herself from listening, even as she was making her way toward the door with Gladiolus.

"It's happened again, more casualties this time," said Ignis, "At this rate perhaps the Kingsglaive will not suffice. The King himself may have to step in."

He was talking about a skirmish that happened on the Lucian border. Athenacia listened as the next assault was ready to take place and what sort of precautions were being raised. She clenched her fist, trying to push it from her mind. She wasn't a Glaive anymore there was no need to get involved. The plan of action was something that made her cringe and she stopped in her tracks. She swore under her breath, Gladiolus looking at her curiously once she had finished tying up her boots. She groaned when Ignis was finished, hating herself as she stomped back toward the kitchen.

"It won't work," she said before coming into view.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Ignis curiously.

"Their plan, coming in from stealth. It won't work."

"Is that so?"

"The reason the Glaive magic goes down is because of the number of devices they have to suppress it."

"Suppress it?"

She nodded, "It's experimental, not quite there yet but from the sounds of things they're starting to get better since I clocked out."

"You've encountered these contraptions before?"

"Sort of. The prototype was originally brought out during the invasion of Galahd. I wasn't there but shortly after I started fighting I was warned about it from the vets. There was this one run we did where we were completely powerless until Drautos got involved directly. From what I could remember there was a very small device on the ground that emits a pulse, like a ringing in the ear almost. The frequency is so low that the human ear can't hear it but I could sense it before it was gone. They're usually heavily guarded and if they're starting to work better you can guarantee they'll have as many as possible in order to knock out the magic and try to gain the advantage."

"So what do you propose then?"

"You need at least five people to go in after the rest cause a giant disturbance outside the magic radius. Those are the only stealth you need and Drautos will know what those things look like."

"I'll be sure to mention that. You have my thanks."

She nodded, turning again to leave without another word. Gladiolus had a brow raised as she came into view but she ignored him, pointedly walking out the door. He followed after her, all of his earlier anger gone and replaced with a questioning look.

"Thought you didn't care," he said.

She shrugged, "Not all of them hate me."

"Admit it, you enjoyed that."

She sighed, "I do miss ordering people around."

Once the elevator door closed he pushed the button to her floor and then wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. She flushed, not really sure what he planned on doing in the 30 seconds it would take to get down to the seventh floor.

"Tell you what Doc, since I screwed up you can order me to do whatever you want."

The mischievous grin on his face had her mouth go dry, her gaze unable to leave his own. The elevator stopped, the door opening and he crashed his lips upon her own as soon as it did. Her breath caught in her throat, her body beginning to make its way out while he followed. He made sure that they were still pressed against each other, even as they were somehow managing their way toward her door. Her head was in a haze once they had reached 708, her back against the wooden door while he was still claiming her mouth. The softest of moans escaped her and she was about to lose control of herself. She regretfully pushed him away, fumbling around for her keys in order to unlock the door. She turned her back, panting still as he brought his warm lips to the nape of her neck, moving the fabric of the scarf and planting a kiss there. He snaked an arm around her abdomen, pulling her back against him and grounding his hips into her, making sure she could feel exactly how much he wanted her.

That was only making things harder for her. She groaned in frustration as she struggled to find the key she needed to fit inside of the lock. Why did she have so many keys anyway? Once she finally got it she opened the door quickly and removed her scarf. She tossed it on the ground where her mountain of shoes was before turning around and meeting his lips once more. He managed to get her keys from the lock, kicking the door closed as she latched onto him. He tossed the hat from her head aside even as she threw away her gloves. Her purse was next and she unzipped his coat. As soon as it came off his arms were around her in an instant, expertly undoing the buttons of her jacket and swiftly getting it out of the way. All the while they were still attached at the lips. Next was her shirt and he had to break their connection in order to get rid of that.

She fell onto her own couch, having backed into the arm of it. He looked down at her, taking in the sight before him. She still had her boots on, those jeans hugging her hips. Her pink bra obstructed his view as well, rising and falling heavily while she panted. Her creamy skin looked so soft, and that dreamy look on her face made his mind go completely blank. He was on top of her in an instant, feeling her cool fingers reach the hem of his shirt before coming to pull it off. He let it go over his head and she shuddered at the warmth of his bare skin against hers. He removed the bra, liking that the hook was so conveniently in the front. It freed her breasts and he ran a hand over them before claiming her mouth once more. He moved his lips to her neck while his hand travelled down her body and toward her navel. Her soft moans in his ear only fueled him further, as he breached her panty line and ran a finger along the outside of her most sensitive flesh. She moaned loudly, her hips involuntarily bucking when he repeated his first action.

"Gladio," she let out a breathy moan.

"What do you want, Doc?" he asked in his husky tone.

The roughness of the stubble on his face rubbing against her ear and neck made her shudder, goosebumps forming all along her skin, "I... Ahh..."

He didn't give her a chance to answer. He pushed hard against her and she moaned louder. He smirked, the sounds she was making filling him with pride. He kept to his work until one finger found its way deeper. Her cries grew louder and she bit the bottom of his earlobe hard. He growled, increasing his pace and causing her to arch her back into him for a better angle. Once the second one joined the first she was seeing stars. He watched her the entire time, the pure bliss that crossed her features and was only available to him. He was completely enamoured with everything that she was while he kept working. She reached for him but he only held her hands by the wrists above her head. He dived at her neck once more before moving lower to her breast. He let his tongue swirl around the hardened nub and she writhed beneath him, no longer able to hold herself in. Her body tensed against him, one long cry escaping those lips as the full force of her release took over her completely.

She sighed as he removed his hand from her, those dreamy hazel eyes looking back up at him. He held a smug smirk on his face and she didn't even care right now. He kissed her, giving in to his whims and claiming those full lips once more. Her face was in one of his hands, holding it in place while he gazed into her eyes again. She was having trouble staying conscious and he knew that he shouldn't push her anymore tonight despite that he wanted a second round. She just finished a double shift he was surprised that she was even awake for him at all. He kissed her forehead, getting up off of her and causing her to frown slightly.

"What are you doing?" she asked though her voice was laced with sleep.

He didn't answer, just scooped her into his arms and carried her to bed. Her eyes widened a little but relaxed once she felt the comforter beneath her. He left her for the bathroom but smirked once he returned. She had already thrown her shoes and pants aside and burrowed beneath the blankets. He was quick to remove his own clothes, coming right up against her and putting an arm around her. At least he had managed to make it up to her.

...

The Winter's Solstice was fast approaching and with it Insomnia's festivities. Everyone was getting ready to spend the day with their families and then the ball would take place a few days after. They rarely ever fell on the same day but no one seemed to mind. In fact, it was more like taking almost a week's long vacation for most of the people in the Crown City. It was the one time a year that many were able to focus on something besides the war outside of the magical wall. A warm blanket of snow covered the city still but at least it was sunny out today, unlike the last few days. The temperature was fairly mild all things considered but it didn't stop anyone from going outside and doing what they needed to do.

Cor Leonis was one such person that did not stop just because it was a holiday. He was the Marshal and while most training was suspended for now he still had a lot of things to take care of. He worked nearly every day in his life and the Solstice was no exception. The ball was something that he had to organize his men for as well, given that very important people were going to be exposed into the open among many citizens. Enemies liked to take advantage of such things and security was extremely tight. Lots of outsiders liked to come and it always made him uneasy. The Empire was pushing their way through and Cor was sure that they would try to find an angle to work here. It seemed there was no rest for the wicked.

But right now he wasn't thinking about any of that. There was always one obstacle in particular that he had to face and it was the most difficult thing in his life. He'd gladly fight thousands of wars than come to this moment every year. The winter solstice reminded him that Athenacia's birthday was right around the corner. In the past, she used to enjoy celebrating them with him as a child untarnished by the evils around her. But she went to fight in the war and everything changed after that. She no longer enjoyed the day, in fact, she did everything she could to avoid it. On top of that, the two of them were barely on speaking terms over the last few years after Grun was killed in battle. The two of them weren't so stupid as to think that Cor didn't have anything to do with it but he was okay with her thinking the way that she wanted. She couldn't know the truth, not wanting to disrupt her life any more than it already was.

He sat looking at his phone, knowing that seeing her was going to be a challenge like every year. Any other day she did whatever she could to avoid him, but she at least allowed him the courtesy of seeing her on her birthday. On his own day of birth that she never forgot, she often just sent a gift to his home with a card that someone else wrote. He liked that she thought of him but wished that she would at least drop by. They at least didn't fight much anymore when they were around each other, progress in some way. The stress of asking her to meet him was always hard. She would protest and then he would have to go through her entire schedule, make some phone calls, stalk her until he finally had her cornered and then she had no choice but to agree to spend at least an hour with him. He only saw and spoke to her once a year since their falling out and it killed him after raising her most of her life.

He sighed, sending out his message and then putting his phone back in his pocket. She wouldn't respond to the first one, that much he knew. It would take a day of messaging her first before she finally declined his invite. Thus the cycle would begin and it weighed heavy on him. He looked out the window of his home, seeing the yard where he first started training her. If he had never given her that sword... No sense in dwelling on it. He just steeled himself for the hardest battle with the strongest Niff he knew.

...

A few days after Gladiolus had spent the night at her house, Athenacia was out shopping on one of those fabled days off she rarely got. Actually, she had taken the day, wanting to get her gift bags ready for the children's cancer ward and the orphanage. Since her schedule was still a mess and the administration staff were requested to attend a mandatory annual ball at the Citadel she had no idea where she would end up during the Solstice. She tried not to think about it anyway, remembering that her birthday was just around the corner from the holiday. It didn't matter how long it had been, the wound just seemed to never heal for her. She shook herself out of the thought, not wanting to get caught up in that again.

She smiled when she thought about the last time she saw her boyfriend. She loved that he always seemed to put a smile on her face no matter how she was feeling. She remembered waking up wrapped in his warm embrace and nightmare free. She was practically naked, as was he and she turned to face him. He was sleeping so soundly and she knew that she would have to wake up him up so that she could get a ride to work. She did so in a way that he was most _definitely_ happy about. If she didn't have to get to work she was sure that he would have penetrated more than just her mouth that morning. It wasn't like he didn't try but she couldn't be late and she hated herself for that. However, that was days ago and she was only texting him since then. She knew that he would be very busy between now and after the ball and so would she.

Cor was also trying to get a hold of her and she knew in the back of her mind that she had to get that dealt with as well. He was already beginning his cycle, starting earlier than usual this year. She knew she only had a matter of time before he started getting relentless and she wanted to finish her children's baskets first before she started to get involved with that. She was nearly done, paying for the last remaining items in her cart and then taking hold of the massive amounts of bags she had purchased. She probably should have done this in a few trips but she had come too far into the store to go back and do it again. Putting everything back in her shopping cart she wheeled it out into the parking lot. She sighed at the slush all over the ground, making it difficult to push things.

She pushed the button on her keys and saw her trunk open up. Once she had managed to get the cart there she brushed off the snow that had taken hold over her things before putting each bag inside. She groaned in frustration when she was finished, closing it up and looking for a place to put the cart. Thankfully it wasn't too far away and she trudged through the slush once more to get it there. She pushed it against the others, not even bothering to fold it in neatly before huffing once more in annoyance. Her body went rigid after that, someone closing their hands over her eyes. At least they tried, as soon as she felt someone behind her she swiftly turned and laid a blow to the jaw of her assailant.

"Geeze, Doc."

Her hands went to her face, her eyes wide, "Gladio!"

He rubbed his jaw where she had struck him, wincing slightly, "You got a mean right hook."

"Sorry," she bit her lip, bringing her gloved hands to him, "Let me see."

He moved his hand so she could examine him. His face was red, she hit him hard. Her own knuckles hurt from the impact but she would deal with them later. He would be fine, go figure he had such a thick skull. It was then she felt the full force of her own injury, wincing as she removed her glove. Her knuckles were already starting to bruise. Just great, it looked like he did more damage to her at this point. He took her hand in his own gently, running his thumb along her knuckles before bringing them to his lips and placing a soft kiss there. She giggled at his actions, putting the glove back on carefully.

"You know that's not actually a medical treatment," she commented.

He grinned, "Let me know how it heals and we can talk about it later."

She laughed again, shaking her head at his antics, "What are you even doing here?"

"Dropping off my sister, she likes baking. This year she decided she wants to bake for the party."

"Party?"

"Yeah, we host it every year. My dad gets a bunch of important people over, Crownsguard with their families and then we all overeat, drink and enjoy some time off. Amicitia tradition," he shrugged. He then looked at her with a thoughtful frown, "You should come."

She blinked in surprise, "Me?"

"Yeah, who do ya think I'm talking to."

"Gladio, I don't know..."

"Look I know you got those idiots accusing you of something you didn't do. But you'll never get them to stop if you keep running away from it. Show 'em you got nothing to hide."

She sighed, looking down, "I wish it were that easy."

"You're my girlfriend. Don't you think maybe it's about time I got to bring you home?"

She looked at him sharply, about to protest but completely unable to. Why was he looking at her like that? She searched his amber eyes, seeing how much he actually wanted her there. She was so happy with the way things were right now she wasn't ready for him to jump into another level so suddenly. She bit her lip nervously, clenching her fist as she tried to quell the anxiety that was forming within her at the thought of going to the Amicitia residence. But she had to give him an answer.

"C-can I think about it?" her voice was weaker than normal.

He gave her a small smile, bringing his hand to rest on her shoulder and then giving her a quick kiss, "Fine."

Her phone started to buzz in her pocket just as she was about to steal another kiss from him. What rotten timing. She sighed as she pulled it from her pocket. She frowned, reading the message she just received and he could tell that she was about to take off. She looked up at him but he just smirked, taking her hand and walking her toward her car. He gave her another kiss before letting her get inside of it and giving a wave. Athenacia replied to the message on her phone before starting her car and driving off to her unintended destination. The drive wasn't a long one at least, especially when she barely noticed it after all the things floating around in her head.

Athenacia pulled up to the familiar house with a heavy heart. She hadn't been here for about a year and was shocked that she even agreed to come. Cor texted her while she was in the parking lot with Gladiolus and she was in such a rush to get out of the conversation she was having she agreed to meet up with the Marshal right away. Of course, she couldn't tell anyone that. No one could know that Cor raised her, not even Gladiolus. She knew that he was probably the safest one but she'd rather stick to her old habits. After the bombshell of coming to meet his family during a Solstice party, she wasn't even sure where in their relationship they were. She was fairly happy with things the way they were now. She should have figured it was a matter of time before he got tired of being constantly held at arm's length. She had issues letting anyone get close to her, especially after what happened last time.

She let out an angry sigh, remembering the whole reason she rarely saw Cor. Okay, so Grun tried to kill her but that didn't mean the man deserved to die over it. Cor was far too overprotective of her sometimes and this crossed a line that she was barely able to forgive. But every year he cornered her into seeing him and she was forced into his company. She didn't want to be around him but knew that after all the hell she had put him through she owed him this at least. It did get easier every year but she just didn't want to bother with any of it. Rubbing her head, she turned off the car and got out, hating that the snow was falling again. She walked up to the door, not even bothering to knock as she stepped into the house.

Nothing about it had changed. The mat was even still the same, letting the snow soak into it as she carefully unlaced her boots on the bench. She took off her winter outerwear and hung it up on the peg that hung above the bench she was just sitting on. She sighed again, taking a quick look around. The stairs to go up were right in front of her, then off to the right was the living area equipped with a couch, tables, love seat, television and fireplace. To the left was the kitchen which was where she made her way. Cor was waiting for her at the island of it, the fridge and stove behind him and counters in between. There were two mugs in front of him and one he pushed toward her carefully. She smiled slightly, seeing that he made her hot chocolate. There was whipped topping on it and cinnamon. She was sure that it had some fudge in it as well. He made it the most perfect way, starting it when she was a child and hating the cold.

"Happy birthday," he said lightly.

"Thanks," she nodded at him, looking away.

She grabbed her drink, taking a sip and letting its warmth spread through her. It tasted the exact same as she remembered and she was happy he put in this sort of effort for her. She supposed she wasn't too overly upset that she had decided to come over after all.

"You're early this year," she said absently, taking another sip.

He shrugged, "You're unusually responsive."

"Just tired of fighting I guess."

He raised a brow, "You sick?"

She smiled, "Perhaps. I do spend a lot of time around sick people."

He smirked, taking a drink from his own mug. They were quiet again but it wasn't all that awkward. They still stood at the island in the kitchen but that was normal for them. It was where they spent the most time together when they weren't training in the backyard. She ran her fingers along the marble top, seeing some of the damage done to it from when she was a teenager. It was almost like she had never left and she was sure that Cor didn't spend so much time here anyway.

"How's work anyway?" he asked.

"Busy. But that's the way I like it. You?"

"About the same. The ball is more of a nuisance than it is a night out.'

"Yeah, your end is always like that."

"Clarus throws a better party."

"Funny you should mention that I was invited to it this year."

"By Gladio?"

She nodded, looking down nervously and taking another drink.

"Are you going?"

The question hung in the air and she was still uncertain of what to do. She knew that he really wanted her there but she was so nervous coming around a bunch of Crownsguard after what happened to her years ago. She walked away from that life, from all of them. Somehow the Prince's Shield had broken through all of that and she was still trying to figure out how and why.

"I don't know," she sighed, "Probably not."

Cor frowned, "You still can't see good things in front of you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she looked at him confused.

"It means don't screw this up."

Her face hardened instantly. She shook her head in disgust, pushing her drink away and turning her back toward him. She put on her boots in a lazy manner, grabbing her winter coat and then opening the door.

"Cia," he called for her, his voice thick with emotion.

"Thanks for the well wishes!"

She slammed the door behind her after that, stomping toward her car and getting inside. She slammed that too, crying out in frustration as she started it. She drove off as fast as she could, hating that she let him get under her skin like this. She didn't stop until she got home, still fuming by the time she parked in her spot. She didn't turn the car off yet, wanting to enjoy the warmth as she let that encounter swirl in her head. She pulled out her phone, noting the messages she had from not only him but Gladiolus.

 _Think enough yet?_

She leaned her head back against the headrest of her car, letting out a deep sigh. She held her phone lazily in her hands, knowing she had to give an answer. "Don't screw this up" what a jerk Cor was! But she knew that he was right, she shouldn't mess this up. How was she ever going to move forward if she just kept running away? What did she really expect anyway? Eventually, Gladiolus would want her to meet his family in a more formal manner. With Grun, he never had any family so there was never an issue there. But she couldn't deny that she really did like that large man she was currently dating. She wanted to be around him every second she got. He was so busy and so was she, the opportunities seemed few and far in between. She wasn't getting any younger either.

Letting out another deep sigh, she composed her message.

 _I'll be there._

...

hey! so this is part of one of _Love Like Winter_. I wanted to get some of it out today since it would technically be Cia's b day. Anyway, anyone who is confused reminder to go and read Terminal State and I will see you all in the next part. thanks so much for reading!


	2. Love Like Winter: Solstice

welcome back! here is part 2 of my mini holiday story that has nothing to do with the main story: Terminal State. thanks so much for reading, once I'm done this side project I'll get back to the main one, promise!

...

Dr. Virum sighed, opening her locker and leaning her head against the edge of it. She was absolutely exhausted, another double shift and no time to sit down in between. Sleep barely came to her and this time it wasn't because of her nightmares. There was just so much to do when she wasn't working. Usually, she was a little more organized than this but for whatever reason there seemed to be more children to tend to than usual. With the ongoing war the orphanage was a little busier than she remembered as well and she wanted to finish her baskets. It was the one thing a year that mattered to her on the holidays.

She was so busy she had barely spoken to Gladiolus, let alone seen him since she agreed to go to his party. It was the last thing on her mind, pulling out her phone and seeing quite a few messages outstanding. Unlocking the screen to have a look, she smiled slightly. The message from Cor was swiped away instantly. No sense in reading it, he wasn't one to apologize to her for anything really and she wasn't interested in letting him get to her. She saw him, it could wait until next year. There were three from Gladiolus and she eagerly read all of them. Her smile grew as her eyes scanned over the words. She replied quickly, agreeing to meet with him tonight for a late meal. The growling in her stomach told her that she really wanted one anyway. The last message was one she was not expecting at all. Crowe was reaching out to her, meaning that some of the Glaives were coming back for a bit of relief this holiday. That was something she could get behind.

She'd have to find a time for the schedules to fit in together. For now, she put her phone away and rushed to get everything ready for her shower. If she was quick enough she could finish off the last of her baskets before meeting with Gladiolus for food, then she might have a bit more of that free time to try and relax a little. She smiled at the thought of free time on her hands and where she would put it. She never thought she would be so happy to have it after she left the war. Some days it still felt like a dream, one that she would wake up from at any moment. Best to get as much time as she could. While she was initially mad at Cor for his insensitive comment she still couldn't help but agree with him. Don't screw this up.

...

Athenacia finished the last of her baskets with a sigh. Her crunch time had really paid off and looking at her phone she realized she had only half an hour to get ready for her date. That was not enough time and she really hoped that they were doing something simple like they usually did. She just enjoyed her time with him, not really concerned about where they were and what they were doing. The first things pulled out of the large, walk-in closet were jeans and a purple plaid blouse over a white tank top. A brush ran through her hair quickly and then she took another look at the time. She was going to be fine. She rushed toward her foyer, pulling on her boots and winter outerwear before leaving the apartment and locking the door behind her. She rushed down toward the lobby to wait, noting that it was snowing yet again. As if there wasn't enough snow in the city of Insomnia.

She grumbled at the idea of the cold weather getting to her again. She always hated the cold, even the slightest dip in temperatures when the seasons started to change. If the war ever ended she vowed she would move to a volcano and live there for the rest of her life, never one to shy away from heat. Glancing at her phone again with her gloved hands, she looked over her work and wondered where she was going to fit in everything. A message popped up over what she was currently observing and she frowned slightly, her thoughts coming to a halt. She looked up, jumping a little when Gladiolus was right there outside the door. A smile tugged at her lips, ignoring his smug grin and stepping out of the building.

"Hey Doc," he greeted her.

"Hi," she replied.

"Little jumpy?"

"It _is_ late at night."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Don't worry, you're with the best Crownsguard out there."

She giggled, "The ego on you, never fails to surprise me."

"You knew what you were getting into," he winked at her.

She only laughed harder, letting him guide her toward the car and smiling at the fact that he kept it so warm for her. He knew she didn't like to be cold and those little thoughtful things he did made her heart flutter. She had no idea where he was taking her, not really paying attention anyway. It had been a while since they saw each other and she had a lot to tell him about influenza apparently. She was actually shocked at herself for talking as much as she was. It was abnormal for her but he listened with a grin on his face. She went over every moment of her work days with him from the time that she had last seen him right up until now. What was wrong with her? She couldn't remember a time before that she was so giddy. A blush crept across her cheeks by the time she was finished, the two of them pulling up to a place she did not recognize. They were on the edge of the city, still within the cement walls and therefore the magic barrier but not exactly inside the city. There was a wooded area that she never even knew existed here. Before she could speak, he was already getting out of the car. The snow continued to fall as she exited out the door. She saw that he had a bag around his back and she was still waiting for some answers. Apparently, she wasn't going to get any.

"I thought we were getting food?" she asked.

"We are," he replied, beginning to walk away from the car.

"In the middle of the woods?"

"Yup."

She caught up to him, falling in step beside him. He stopped just before they were about to head into the tree line. She looked up at him curiously and he took hold of her jacket. Heat rose to her cheeks, wondering what he could possibly be doing. When he was finished she looked down and was not expecting him to fasten a light to her clothes. He had one of his own and then he continued to walk down the trail. This was definitely an odd date. Not that she minded being out in the woods but a little warning would have been nice. She followed him, not wanting to get left behind and enjoying how convenient it was to have the light right there and keep her hands free. They walked a path that was obviously very familiar to him but she had absolutely no idea where she was going. The flurries were falling lightly and she was extremely happy at this point that she wore her warmer boots. Her feet were wet but at least they weren't freezing. Not yet. Gladiolus kept walking and they started to get on an incline. She was still in her own head about where they were going, so many twists and turns she had no idea how they were going to get back. She let out a squeal that echoed through the woods, sliding down the hill a little and almost falling to the ground. A very large hand caught her before she could get too far away.

"You ain't getting away that easy," he smirked at her.

She smiled at him, biting her lip in that nervous manner before finding her footing again. They walked back up only this time he was behind her. She tried not to slip anymore, especially since when she was about to a second time he held her up by her backside and that only made her flush further. Once they reached the top he took her hand and lead her down a different trail. They weren't walking as far this time and when they stopped her breath caught in her throat. From the vantage point, they were at they could see the entire city from up here. The Citadel stood tall in the distance, the light of the Crystal shooting up toward the heavens and surrounding the city with its protection. The lights from the festivities were all strewn up as well and she knew that the fireworks would look amazing up here. The blanket of snow coating everything gave it a sort of mystical glow and she suddenly felt warmer.

"Wow..." she spoke.

She could feel the smug look on his face as he came to stand behind her. She had never seen the city like this before and was amazed that he went out of his way to take her here. He obviously had done this before, probably exploring all kinds of places in the woods here. If it wasn't so dark she would know how big it is. He had his hands on her shoulders and she leaned into him, enjoying this as much as she could. Her eyes burned at how tired she was but she always made time for him when she could. It was completely worth it. She turned toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him soundly. Her nose felt cold against his skin and she knew she had snowflakes in her eyelashes but she didn't care, his warmth filling her from her very core and spreading through her body.

He was still smiling smugly at her when they pulled apart. He kissed her quickly before getting out of her embrace and coming to set his bag down on the ground. She brought her gaze back toward the city, getting lost in the mesmerizing lights once more. She had no idea how beautiful the city truly was until she came here, and she had him to thank for it. Tearing her eyes away, she brought her attention back toward him. The smile on her face grew, seeing that he was attempting to start a fire. Attempt was the right word seeing as he was failing at it. She found that oddly humerus, given that he seemed to enjoy being outside. The snow was still falling and she waited patiently for an opening. Maybe he didn't do a lot of outdoors when it was cold and wet. Either way, she quickly remedied his problem with a flick of her wrist. It had been a long time since she used the borrowed black magic that King Regis loaned her but it came to her just like muscle memory.

"Cheater," he gave her a disdained look.

She only laughed in response, coming to sit next to him on the blanket that he laid out for them, keeping her shoes off of it so that it wouldn't get any wetter. He was busy so she leaned back on her elbows while being warmed by the dancing flames in front of her. This was nice, she was happy he dragged her all the way out here. Though she still felt like it was an odd time to be coming here. Surely they could have met up earlier but he picked this specific time and she wondered why. It came as no surprise that she was interrupted from her thoughts by cupped noodles being pushed into her hands. Honestly, his obsession was starting to borderline unhealthy. She smiled despite herself, not really caring what she was eating at this point just happy to have some food and spend time with him.

She teased him though, and he countered with his usual arrogant self. She seemed to forget all of her troubles in moments like this and wished that they would never end. When they finished eating they continued to talk and laugh. He was relentlessly teasing her now and she was becoming all the more flushed at his actions. Eventually, she turned her back on him, feigning anger with her arms crossed. He pulled her close, though she resisted and it ended with them on the ground off of the blanket. He was on top of her, holding her in place while she looked up at him.

"Gladio!" she cried, shivering when the snow hit her skin.

"Cold Doc?" he smirked.

"Well it _is_ winter out here," she pointed out, "And the middle of the night."

He brought his lips to her neck, ghosting them along her flesh and causing her to giggle, "I'll warm you up."

She was sensitive there, trying to get the stubble of his face away. It tickled her and she couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't kidding, she was starting to warm up while trying to avoid him. He wouldn't let her get away that easily and the woods were filled with her giggles while he kept that crooked grin on his face. He finally found her lips, silencing her and she happily gave into it. The snow was still falling gently on them, the moment right now nearly perfect. Until he felt something cold running down his back. Her lips erupted with laughter as he pulled off of her quickly, growling at the snow that was just shoved down the back of his coat. She used that opportunity to slither away from him, grabbing her shoes taking cover in the trees.

She had a smile plastered on her face, gathering snow from the ground and making a perfect ball in her gloved hands. Peeking around the large trunk, she narrowed her eyes to scan for him but he was nowhere to be seen. She looked again, running from one tree to another in order to stay hidden. When he finally did make an appearance she threw her snowball, hitting him square in the chest. He fired and she giggled before taking cover. She grabbed another one, readying it. She took another peek and dodged a ball that he had ready for her. Her attack launched and missed, laughing still as she made one more. But she squealed when she felt his arms come around her from behind, wondering how he managed to get behind her so quickly. For a large man, he was quick like a cat. She dropped her weapon and then let out another yelp as she felt the cold chill of winter down the front of her shirt.

"No!" she cried.

He was laughing at her, keeping his hand there as the snow began to melt against her chest. His other arm was around her abdomen, holding her against him. Her body shivered as the cold settled in and she tried desperately to avoid it. But he was much bigger than her and she had nowhere to move.

"You jerk!" she said between her chattering teeth.

That only made him laugh harder at her, but he held her tighter.

"Come on," was all he said to her.

He removed his hand now that the snow was no longer there. She was still shivering but allowed him to lead her back toward the fire. His arm was still about her shoulders and he held her once they were sitting down again. The bitter chill had settled in, making her unzip his jacket and burrow into it. He held a gentle smile, keeping her close while building the fire up a little. He went to lay flat, bringing her with him. She let out a content sigh, looking up into the night sky. She gasped when she looked up, her eyes lighting up in wonder. Above her was a long line of rainbow coloured lights floating in the sky. The Northern Lights, visible from here in the Crown City. A smile spread across her lips at the sight before her, never seeing something like this before in her life.

"Gladio..." she had no words. This was the reason he wanted to meet with her so late, "It's beautiful..."

"You bet your ass it is," he replied, that same smug smile on his face.

He held her tighter, letting his head rest against hers as they watched it in silence. She couldn't believe that he had gone out of his way like this for her. It made her swell with affection for him and not only did she want to jump into a deeper level of their relationship with him, she didn't feel uneasy about it. As she laid in his warm embrace she truly wanted to go and meet his family. She wanted to be apart of his life in a way she never experienced before. He was such a good man, he could ask her for anything and she would do whatever was in her power to grant it for him. As she turned her head toward him in order to plant a meaningful kiss on his lips, she knew in her heart that she never wanted this to end.

...

"What about this one?"

Athenacia came out of a changing room wearing a blue dress. It was light, hugging her hips while covering her chest completely up to her neck. It was long as well, the sleeves stopping at the elbow and the length at her knees. She looked at herself in the mirror, twisting around so that she could see it properly. Of course, she was flustered at the very idea of having to try on dresses in the first place. Usually, she just pulled something out of her closet but when she looked over it she found nothing to her satisfaction. She looked over at her friend, waiting for an answer. Crowe was on the nearby bench giving it a critical look.

"You look like an old lady in that, get rid of it," replied the young girl.

Athenacia sighed, having no choice but to agree. She marched herself back into the changing room, getting ready to take it off and put that in the large no pile. She never had so much trouble picking out an outfit before that she could remember. The Amicitia party was coming up very soon and Athenacia wanted to look her best. She was extremely nervous about meeting his family and being in the ideal place a traitor could go to snoop out information. But she liked Gladiolus a lot and she was not going to let him down. She just had to find the right dress to wear, something she knew she couldn't decide on her own. So she enlisted the help of Crowe since it dawned on her that she had barely any friends. That was her own doing, of course, her next best choice Ignis and she knew that man was far too busy getting the Prince ready for the ball and whatever else it was he did. The Glaive was the best choice and it was lucky that she just happened to be in town for a little while. Crowe wouldn't tiptoe around her feelings either, meaning she knew exactly how she was going to look.

Athenacia put on another dress, coming out for observation, "This?"

"Trampy."

"This?"

"Are you a girl or a boy?"

"This one?"

"Stuffy."

Athenacia groaned, hating that she was here for so long. She closed the door of the dressing room, removing the black dress she was currently wearing. She was so sick of this, wanting it to be over. Probably would have been easier if she just declined the invitation like she originally wanted to. The amount of time spent here felt like a waste and nothing she tried on was working at all. Sighing, she pulled on the next choice, a pink backless dress that flared out at the hips, whispering as it clung to her with her every movement. It was sleeveless, thick strapped with a plunging neckline. The length stopped just above the knee, hugging her hips and shaping them a little more than she was used to. She came out of the changing room, having a look at herself again in the mirror. She flushed at what she was seeing, almost as if she forgot that she was a fully developed woman. The scar on her neck was hardly noticeable with all of her curves just popping out.

"Well well."

She looked over at Crowe who seemed to be enjoying the view. Her eyebrows were raised as she looked her friend up and down in that same critical manner she had since they started. She was taking this very seriously.

"This one?"

She smiled, "I think that's the one."

"'You're sure it's not... exposed?" Athenacia was still flushed as she looked at her completely exposed back.

She shook her head, "No it's actually very elegant."

Athenacia looked herself over still. She was a little stunned at what she was seeing, but Crowe was right. There really was nothing better to choose from after all the effort they had put into this. She looked over at her friend and nodded, smiling at finally being able to get out of here. She quickly changed back into her clothes, purchasing the dress and practically sprinting out of there. But she wasn't done yet, there were shoes and other things to get. Being a girl was so complicated at times it made her miss work. All she ever had to do was put on scrubs and a lab coat.

On top of matching everything to the dress she just bought she would need to find something meaningful for Gladiolus. She never did gifts before but it was a traditional thing. When she lived with Cor they weren't much into it and the orphanage just had the kids make gifts for other kids. During the war and her relationship with Grun, there was never time for such things. They agreed gift giving was ridiculous and never bothered which made her life a little easier. She was aware of the traditions and whatnot that ensued with the Solstice but she had never actually gone out to find a gift before. It was then she realized that she was actually very alone on the holidays. She looked around at all the people busying themselves trying to get in those last minute purchases. They looked happy or stressed, either way, they were working hard. She missed out these aspects of her life and wondered if she'd be any different had she actually paid attention.

"I can't believe you're going to the King's own Shield's house," said Crowe, almost jealous it seemed.

"Tell me about it," grumbled Athenacia, feeling nervous about it still.

"And all this effort you're putting into it too, you must really like this boy."

Athenacia smiled, remembering the last time she saw him. She recalled the way he made her feel that night, taking her out so that they could see the Northern Lights. She was still in complete awe that he had done all of that for her. He was always surprising her, whether it was at work or just taking her out to places she didn't know existed. Not like she didn't try and find something fun for them to do, but she was so out of touch and he seemed to have it all in his head. But the Lights, wow... It was over the top and she was wracking her brain trying to figure out what she could do for him. While she wanted to spend the entire night with him, he had obligations in the morning and she had work to do anyway. But at least they got to enjoy a beautiful sight together.

"Oh Gods, you _love_ him," said Crowe, poking Atheancia's forehead.

"What?" her cheeks flushed instantly.

"You're in love!"

"I am _not_!"

"You can't lie to me, Cia, I know that look."

"What look?"

" _That_ one," she replied, gesturing to her face, "That dreamy eyed glowing look on your face you used to get a long time ago. I've seen it before and I'm seeing it again."

"I'm not in love with him," she insisted.

"Oh really?" Crowe had a smile that spoke a million words, making her friend flush even further.

The young doctor sputtered, trying to scoff and failing, "I like him a lot, okay?"

Crowe had a giant grin on her face, "So much that you looooove him."

"We're done here."

Her face was a very dark shade of crimson as she turned her back on her friend. But Crowe just chased after her, making kissing noises and hounding her for details. Athenacia ignored her completely, continuing her shopping as if she were alone. Except for the part where she couldn't stop her face from staying that same colour of red she had grown accustomed to lately. She was regretting enlisting her help in the first place, especially when she was dragged into the store she needed to go to for her gift.

...

The day of the Winter Solstice arrived and Athenacia woke up feeling like death. Her eyes felt sandy despite that she had slept all night. She was heavily congested, her throat hoarse as if she had been coughing most of the night. Her body ached everywhere and she had absolutely no energy in her to even keep her eyes open. With a pounding head, she knew she had a fever just based on the small movements she was making. Coughing told her there was fluid built up in her lungs as well and her chest hurt from forcing out the phlegm. She took a look at it, green and gross. Disgusted, she grabbed the tissues, wiped her hand and laid her head back on the pillows, sighing but it actually came out as a groan. She had caught influenza B, probably from one of her patients in the last few days. Just freaking perfect.

She went to grab her phone, only her body was having trouble moving. Groaning again in displeasure, there was no way to avoid awful she felt. She rarely ever got sick, her immune system actually doing a thorough job despite being around illnesses all the time. She forced herself to move, knowing that she couldn't lie in bed all day. There were far too many things to do and getting the flu was not going to stop her. Reaching for it again she managed to get her hands on it, turning on the screen. It was already late morning, she was behind schedule. She had to start moving, just will her body to do something. But she was completely drained, found no motivation to fulfill her obligations whatsoever. She unlocked her phone, noting the messages waiting for her. There was only one that she wanted to read.

 _Can't wait to see you tonight._

It was from Gladiolus. She sent him a message the night previous about how shocked he was going to be with the dress she had picked out. She also made suggestions about the gift she was going to give him, one that he would have to find on her person before she left for the night. Of course, he was suggesting she just not bother leaving and she made sure he knew that wasn't going to be an option. Still, he pestered her for a picture but she only teased him before going to bed. She didn't want to let him down, but she knew that there was no way she could go there the way that she was right now. She didn't want to infect anyone else. Hating herself right now, she groaned in frustration while pushing his name on her phone. It didn't take long for him to answer, she never called him. Currently, she was just too weak to bother with texting.

"Doc, you okay?" he asked instantly.

"I've been better," she replied.

"What's up?"

"Gladio I'm sick," she said, feeling guilty.

"Yeah, you sound like shit."

"Influenza B," she continued, groaning at the congestion in her head.

"You need anything?"

"No," she sighed, her stuffy nose making her sound ridiculous, "I'm sorry I don't think I can make it."

She heard him sigh on the other end, but he didn't sound disappointed, "Don't worry about it," his voice was bad at hiding it, however.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. You can just make it up to me."

She laughed at the note in his voice but only briefly as it hurt and then caused her to cough. The fit lasted longer than she would have liked and hurt her chest a lot. She cried a little when she was finished, trying to catch her breath. Another groan of frustration escaped her, hating that she was sick at all. She _never_ got sick, why now of all times? It just wasn't fair.

"Look Doc, just relax."

"I'm sorry," she felt worse with that worried note in his voice.

"Never mind. Go back to bed."

"If I feel better I'll come by."

"Don't push yourself."

"Mm."

Her eyelids drooped, feeling heavy. She was sure he said something else but she lost consciousness after that, no longer able to keep herself awake. Athenacia had no idea how long she was out for but when she woke up again her phone was still in her hand. Her body hadn't moved the entire time and she still felt like death. The vibrations of her mobile device had her stirring before she could no longer ignore them. Weakly turning her head over she clicked on the button to see what the big fuss was about. Her eyes shot open at the time. It was late afternoon and she was feeling no better than before. If anything she was worse. This wasn't good, she still had far too many things she had to do. Even if she wasn't able to make to the Amicitia residence there was something she had to finish now that the Solstice was here.

Athenacia forced herself to sit up only to cry out at the pain in her head when she did. A grimace on her face as she looked at her phone she tried to push past it. She held it tightly, throwing the covers off of her and shivering despite her body temperature being so high. There were tears in her eyes as she put weight on her feet, her body in pure agony with her every movement. If only there was a way to be rid of influenza in an instant. She had to at least get to the hospital for the kids. She should have known last night when she let the orphanage that she was getting sick, ignoring her small headache and fatigue, deciding to just come to finish up her baskets today. She had to, she wasn't going to let them all down. She just needed an instant cure to get herself going.

It dawned on her then that she did have an instant cure. Why didn't she think of this earlier? Laying back in her bed she exhaled deeply. She focused on herself, raising her arms over her body and frowning in thought. It was harder than usual but she managed to get those golden lights to erupt from her palms and engulf her entire body. She could feel the relief of her healing magic begin to take over. Slowly but surely it was pushing away her influenza and she was regaining her strength. The magic flowed a lot better once the more of it she cured. She didn't stop until the fatigue she felt was because of her magic and not the illness that she just experienced. Smiling, she felt completely normal again. Finally, she could get herself back on track.

Athenacia shot up once she was ready, heading for the shower and having the quickest one of her life. She had to get to the hospital for those kids, she was already running far too behind. She blow dried her hair once she was out of the tub, tossing her towel aside. Running a brush through her hair one last time, she ran into her walk-in closet and rummaging through her clothes. She didn't look long, grabbing her jeans and a long red shirt that ruffled at the top and down to her rib cage. She pulled on her boots and other outwear before running out the door. The baskets were already in the car so that made things a little easier. Checking her phone again, stress settled into her at the knowledge that she was late. She ran as fast as she could down the stairs and toward the parking garage where her car was. Her heart was pounding once she got there but she didn't stop, not even letting the car heat up before she took off in the direction of her work.

It took longer to get there than usual. While the roads were clear of people they were covered in snow. Athenacia was a fairly decent driver in snow but this blizzard was just unreal. She shouldn't even be out in this, no one should but it was far too late to turn back now. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally pulled into the parking, snow free. She found her spot, reserved just for her and then hurried to grab everything she needed out of the trunk. She was still sprinting while trying not to drop everything, getting into the elevator with apologies to everyone she hit on the way. She finally arrived at her desired floor, running down the hall and into the Oncology ward. Only this portion was reserved for children only.

"Cia!"

"You're back!"

She was greeted eagerly when she walked into the glass sliding doors. There was a common area for the kids to interact with each other, ones that could walk and others that stayed in bed. Either way seeing all of them with smiles on their faces made her heart melt. Some parents were in to be with their children on the holiday, a few of them helping her unload the things in her hands. Athenacia didn't spend a lot of time up here over the course of the year. But when the reminder about the holiday diseases came out in her mailbox is when she knew she would have to go up and get acquainted with them. While she was not into lingering patients she had a soft spot for children. She wanted some of her own someday though was unable to have any. She loved them all, no matter where they were. There was a gentle smile on her face while absently holding her womb. They ripped apart the baskets she had made, finding all the surprises inside of them. This was worth it for her, the only part of the Solstice she loved. Some of them came up to hug her and she kept the tears that formed at the bottom of her eyes away. She lingered there probably longer than she should have before regretfully leaving them to be with their families. All the heartache and stress she went through was worth it and she felt like a load was lifted off of her shoulders. There was a small bounce in her step as she got into the elevator, a smile still plastered on her face.

Her phone started to buzz again and she checked it curiously. It seemed she was needed at work. She frowned, pushing the button to get to the emergency department and replied to the message swiftly. Changing quickly, she was sprinting while pulling her hair into a low ponytail and going straight to the nurse's station.

"You got here fast," commented Gin.

"Yeah, I'm good like that," she replied.

Dr. Virum pulled out her tablet, going over the patient files. Thanks to the crappy weather there was a multi-car accident. Ambulances were coming in with patients though the roads were still garbage so they were taking their time. But the first wave came in and Dr. Virum went to work immediately. Everyone on the floor was bursting to life, treating patients as they arrived. They were a little overwhelmed since there were so many that took the holiday off but they were managing fairly well. They were almost in a code grey but Dr. Virum had things fairly organized despite running around like her head was cut off. At some point, she thought she saw a familiar head of spiky blond hair but had no time to investigate. When she did have a moment there was no one around like that anymore and she shrugged it off as she continued working.

When she was finished and only influenza victims were left she looked at the clock. It was about time for people to get to their Solstice parties and that's when her eyes widened. Gladiolus was having his now and she was completely late for it. She sighed, wondering what she should do about it. She already told him that she couldn't make it because of the flu, but she was feeling better now. She remembered how disappointed he sounded on the phone this morning despite trying to hide it and it made her heart wretch. Biting her lip in thought she decided that she should go, even if coming there late was going to likely cause a scene.

"I'm out," she said instantly.

"Where are you going?" asked Gin curiously.

"I've got a date!"

She called back, waving at the ginger-haired, pregnant nurse and running toward the locker room. She didn't have much time, she had to leave now if she was going to make it. Throwing on her coat and nothing else, she sprinted toward the exit and her car.

...

Athenacia let out a relieved sigh when she was finally out of the mall. On her way toward Gladiolus' house, she realized that she was not only still dressed in her scrubs but that she had absolutely nothing with her to bring. While she didn't have time to go home and change with how bad the roads were she figured she could at least bring something with her, stopping on the way to reduce how late she was going to be. She was lucky that the bakery in the mall was even open at this hour, knowing that things were closing early if they were open at all. The holiday was a time that things just shut down, but she wasn't used to it much working at the hospital. So she found the pastries she wanted and got what she hoped was enough. She knew it was bad etiquette to show up empty handed and she was already an embarrassment going in her work clothes. So much for that good first impression. Well, with Clarus it would be more than a first but there was Iris to consider here.

She pushed past the nervousness she felt at going to a place like this. What was she thinking? But when she remembered the last time she saw Gladiolus and her heart fluttered. She was doing this for him. He was so amazing to her she wanted to be just as good if she could. He was worth all this trouble, she knew it. She almost laughed out loud while walking to her car in the underground car parking lot thinking about how she refused to even give him a chance in the beginning. They had come quite far and she would never understand why he was chasing her so much but she was happy that he did, that he never gave up because she never imagined herself here at this point in her life. So much shit happened to her along the way it was unfathomable that she could be this delighted again.

She fumbled with her keys but a large tremor stopped her in her tracks. She frowned, looking around and wondering if there was an earthquake going on. No, Insomnia never had one before, no reason it would now. Especially in these low temperatures. The ground shook again and this time she heard a large creaking sound. She looked up, her eyes wide when she saw the ceiling above her start to crumble. A scream left her as she jumped out of the way, a large cement rock hitting her arm. The structure came down so quickly there was no time to react. Taking cover as best she could but was hit and instantly knocked out by the impact. The last thing she heard was the screams of others, echoing off the walls and into her ears.

When she woke up she was coughing, dust having settled in her lungs. She was groggy, having no idea where she was. But then she remembered, the structure above her fell on her. Her eyes shot open, looking around and trying to gauge the situation. Her leg was stuck, broken it felt like. Shit. She had no idea how long it was there but she had to free it in order to get her circulation back. The last thing she needed was crush syndrome. Pulling on it only caused her to wince in pain. It wouldn't budge. Shit. An idea struck her then. Completely focused, she brought her hand out to the large stone pillar that was holding her in place. She let out spurts of lighting, careful not to hurt herself but enough to eat through the cement and allow her to free her leg. Gritting her teeth to suppress a scream, the pressure was finally relieved, allowing blood to flow through it again. Instead of assessing it she just used her healing magic, not wanting to stay in here a moment longer.

Athenacia was a little dizzy when she was done, but on her feet the second she could be. She gasped when she looked around, seeing that the parking garage had collapsed completely. She was lucky to be alive right now, looking at where her car was totally crushed. The lights were still on in some places, flickering in others. She had to get out of here, not knowing if the rest could fall on her and when. There was no signal on her phone, the cement blocking any sort of attempt to make an outgoing call. Go figure. She started to walk down the only way she could go, trying to remember where the exit was. But as she got further, that was the least of her problems.

"Help me!"

She heard a woman crying frantically, desperate for someone to hear her. Athenacia ran to the source of the noise, her heart heavy at the sight before her. There was a woman trying and failing to get into her car that was almost crushed by the structure on top of it. But that wasn't the problem. No, the issue was the baby seat in the back with an infant still inside of it.

"I'm a doctor," she said instantly, her tone professional, "What's your name?"

"D-Diane. Please get my baby!" she wailed.

"Diane listen to me, I need you to breathe okay?"

But the mother wouldn't listen, trying to get into her car so that she could get to her child. Athenacia sighed, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. She stopped what she was doing, looking at the woman with a tear-streaked face.

"Please stand aside," said Athenacia.

She got a better look at the situation. The door was jammed shut, only tools could have any hope of getting inside. And by then it might be too late. Athenacia grabbed a rock from the ground, hitting the corner of the window. She didn't want to smash it too hard, not wanting to risk getting glass on the baby. But she had to do something and she remembered her paramedic training. This was beyond her but she had been in the field enough to have an idea of how this was done. Once she got a crack she pushed lightly, the glass shattering but thankfully coming downward. Carefully, she used her sleeve to remove the glass on the bottom of the window and then took off her coat to lay it overtop the window before leaning into the car. She quickly assessed the child that was screaming, making the mother more nervous. Athenacia was unable to get the car seat out but did unhook the baby and carefully carry him out of the car. The mother was relieved, grabbing her child from the young woman with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you," she cried, holding her child close.

Athenacia nodded, grabbing her coat and shaking it off as best she could. At least only the outside would have glass shards in it. She sighed taking another look around.

"Come on, we have to find a way out of here," said Athenacia.

Diane nodded, following her down the path.

As they walked further they encountered more people that were trapped with them. They had minor injuries, and Athenacia had the ones that could move set to work finding supplies in the cars that they could get to. She supposed it was a good thing that most people were out celebrating the festivities today, it made a lot less here where she was trapped. No one could get a phone signal out but she knew that there was no way this went on unnoticed. Firefighters would be here as soon as they could. She just hoped that the structure held up until then.

In the meantime, she was tending to patients. After Diane and her baby were okay the woman was much calmer and more receptive to instruction. There was a retired nurse, an elderly woman helping Athenacia with her triage. A father and his teenage twins getting that last minute gift for their mother were also stuck with them. The girl was hurt, broken leg but the other two were fine. The last was a portly man who was virtually useless. He complained a lot and was somehow profusely sweating. Athenacia tried to ignore him but he kept bothering her about his aches and pains like she was supposed to be able to magically make it go away. While she did have that ability only one person in the world knew about it and that was enough for her.

There were three casualties at least. The first person she encountered after Diane was far too gone and Athenacia could only make him comfortable. Another that she found while looking for an exit was already dead when she happened by. The third was another elderly man, the trauma causing cardiac arrest. There was nothing she could do, having no medical supplies or machines here. Her heart was heavy as she closed his eyes gently and moved on. So now she was using the first aid kits from cars that people were able to get to in order to clean up wounds that she couldn't properly treat. There was no way of getting out of here, they were forced to wait until someone came for them. How long that took well, that was anyone's guess.

When she was finished she graciously took a water bottle from Val, the elderly nurse. She was exhausted, looking at her phone again desperate for a signal. It had been a few hours since the collapse and she wondered how much longer she would be stuck here. What a day she was having.

"You need to get that looked at," said Val, reaching out and grazing against her forehead.

Athenacia shied away, "I'm fine," she gave a small smile.

There was dried blood on her head, she knew that. But she didn't feel any pain there so there was no sense in wasting what little supplies they had. She was hungry, they all were. Some food was found but Athenacia gave hers to the teens, knowing that she could survive until they were rescued. She had been on short rations before she could easily do it again.

"Do you think they'll know we're here?" asked the young girl, fear evident on her face.

"They will," replied Athenacia confidently.

"I was talking to your mom before the collapse. She'll call someone, you know how she is," her dad ruffled her hair.

Athenacia gave a small smile at the gesture. She took out her phone again, wishing that she had a signal to call someone. But who? There was no one waiting for her at home or a family to go to for the holidays. Since she was an orphan there no one to celebrate with. She could maybe have called Gladiolus but she didn't want to ruin his party with all of this. She was fine there was no need to bother him. The only other person was Cor and she was still unhappy with him. But she knew that he would be there if she needed him despite that she probably didn't deserve it after how awful she was to him. He was the closest thing to family she had and she hated to admit that he didn't deserve all the hatred and pain she projected at him over the years. A lot of the time she was such a shithead and he took it with a grain of salt, for the most part. She realized at this moment how childish she was being, the thought of never seeing him again making her ache in a way she had never felt before. She owed him an apology and she was going to be good to deliver it as soon as she got out of here.

"What's your name, anyway?" asked the father, "We owe you."

"Athenacia," she replied.

"Virum?" the larger man asked, his voice rising, "Athenacia Virum?"

She looked down sadly, already having an idea of where this was going, "Yeah."

He gave a disgusted snort, "Great, Stuck here with a traitor."

"I beg your pardon?" asked Val, appalled at what the other man was saying.

"You don't know? You should remember. How many glaives died under her command and she walks free in the city. She's an Imperial spy!"

His words echoed, reverberating back to her core. Athenacia gripped the water bottle tighter. This was not the conversation she wanted to have right now or anytime for that matter. But it was happening and she had to keep control of herself. She was not going to lose it over this loser. He didn't know what happened out there, no one did except for her. She wasn't a glaive, wanted nothing to do with it.

"Funny," said Diane, "She doesn't look much like a spy. She looks like a doctor that saved the life of my child and maybe many more."

"You're feeding the Empire information you get from the Amicitia boy aren't you?" he continued, ignoring the other woman, "That's why we're losing the war. But no one can touch you because the Immortal won't let them. Well, he ain't here right now!"

The man stood snarled at her, raising his hand. But she didn't notice, keeping her eyes on her water bottle. Her face was hard and her nostrils flared in anger but still, she did not move. If he wanted to kill her then he could try, she didn't care. Even stuck in a structure collapse she was no better than a spy to anyone. She hated that, how her name was tarnished thanks to one asshole.

"This is for the lost soldiers!"

She looked up in alarm. But not because he was about to strike, because the ground shook again. Everyone was on edge at the sound, looking around frantically. The children were terrified and Athenacia strained her ears to hear. She had certain advantages over the human ear thanks to her genetic makeup and she remembered her training with it. This idiot's voice was going to cause another collapse.

"Shut up," the father seethed through his teeth, "Who cares who she is right now? You keep yelling like a lunatic and you'll kill us all."

The large man scoffed, "She probably caused all this!"

The ground gave a tremor and Athenacia growled, "Take cover, it's going to start coming down," she said in a hushed voice.

No one argued. She helped the teenager hobble toward a piece of the parking lot that could shield them from any debris that fell over. Luckily they all fit and not much was falling down. Athenacia once again strained her ears, on high alert. She could hear the whimpering of the teenager under her arm and the baby was crying, screaming at the top of his lungs. His mother was soothing him as best she could with Val helping out. At least his cries wouldn't hurt anything. There was something out there moving though and she couldn't pinpoint its exact location. Anxiety began to bubble within her. She couldn't tell but it seemed that the floors above were starting to fall, which meant that it would fall over here too. They had no chance of survival, even if she used her magic. She couldn't tell them that though and she wished that there was something she could do. This was it.

The rubble above looked like it was crumbling again and Athenacia's heart rate increased to the point that she was sure she was going into cardiac arrest. She just hoped that they wouldn't be trapped any further into this structure, not wanting to lose anyone else since coming here. But her fears were put to rest as the ceiling was carefully opening up because people were on the other side of it. Firefighters and the rescue team were finally here to get them all out. Athenacia sent the woman with her infant first and then the teens. Val offered to stay behind while the father joined his children and then she was next to go. Last was that arrogant prick before Athenacia allowed herself to be lifted out of there. Good timing too, the shelter they had taken collapsed and she felt the vibrations in the wire she was strapped to. The firefighter held onto her tightly until they were at the top and safely on solid ground. She was helped toward the waiting paramedics and then brought to the ambulance to be examined.

Her head was in a haze, finding all of this surreal and shock settling in at what just happened to her. Now that she was safe she didn't have to worry about anything. She leaned over and vomited, letting the bile spill out of her and into the fresh snow. Flurries still fell and had been the entire time that she was trapped. She didn't know what time it was and didn't care at this point. It was still dark out so at least they hadn't been in there for the entire night. A blanket was brought over her shoulders, but every time the medics kept trying to examine her she would just shy away, telling them that they were best tending to the patients that actually needed treatment. She wasn't mean about it but she would just prefer to do her own triage on herself.

"Hey, kid."

She brought her gaze toward the familiar voice. Cor was standing there, looking at her almost in relief. When he had gotten the call that she had a building collapse on her he was out the door in record time. Thankfully the structure wasn't terribly far from the Amicitia residence so it didn't take long for him to get here. The party was dwindling down anyway so leaving wasn't exactly that hard for him. From what he could tell the paramedics had called him as soon as she was identified out of the wreckage and refusing treatment. He was allowed to get to her once he arrived and the sight of her alive relieved him. She was covered in dust, holding the blanket given to her. She had a gash on her head, coming from the top of her head and the blood dried on her face. There was probably some other damage to her that she was avoiding but she couldn't see it. She was in shock though, he could tell by the way her hazel eyes glazed over as they looked at him. He didn't tell anyone that he was coming here, nor what happened.

"Cor?" she frowned, "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, "Heard a building fell on you."

She smiled slightly, "Yeah, that it did."

"You okay?"

"Nothing I can't fix on my own."

"You should just let them examine you."

She shook her head, wincing slightly, "I just want to go home."

He grunted, "They won't let you go without one."

"Why not?"

"You'll need observation overnight."

"You do it then."

He was shocked at her suggestion, "You really did hit your head didn't you?"

She smiled slightly, "Maybe it knocked some sense into me."

He actually laughed and she held her tired smile at him. He went to speak with the paramedics briefly and they agreed to let her go into his custody. He hovered over her while leading her toward her car. She groaned, remembering that hers was underneath the rubble. Just great. She reclined the seat once she got into the car, having no desire to sit up at all. Cor was talking to her but she was barely answering him, dozing in her seat as the exhaustion of her day finally hit her all at once. She had no idea what time it was still, not looking at any clocks and trying to push out any bright lights. She desperately just wanted to sleep and couldn't wait until she could collapse on her bed finally. She was utterly done with the day.

The car ride didn't take terribly long but that was probably because she was half asleep during most of it. When she got out of the car she did a double take, however, not expecting to arrive at his house instead of her own. Not that it mattered at this point but she figured it was probably easier for him to keep an eye on her here. She was sure her place was a giant mess anyway, like usual. He helped her into the door and she noted that nothing had changed since she was here a while back. Only she didn't feel that same sort of tension in the air that she ordinarily did any other time she was here.

"Your room's still upstairs," he said lightly.

Athenacia nodded at him, walking toward the staircase in front of her after kicking off her shoes. She relied heavily on the railings, very aware of the man's sharp gaze upon her. Once she made it to the top she walked down the hallway to the right, hearing the floor creak in the usual spots before she came to the closed door. She smiled slightly at the giant A that was still nailed to it, before turning the knob and opening it. She turned on the light and raised her eyebrows. Everything was the same as she left it, only clean. As soon as she stepped into the carpeted room there was a vanity that held all of her makeup and other hair products, covered in dust from not being used in years. Beside that was her dresser and various items atop it. On the wall adjacent in the middle was her bed, queen size with two night tables on either side of it. The lamps were still the same, untouched since she was here last. The curtain was still over the skylight that came directly over her bed. The large window was also covered, which meant her window sill was behind that as well. On the last wall, there was a bookshelf that was overflowing with books. Some of them were teen dramas, others were medical texts, reflecting her growth over the years. Beside it was another door and she walked through it. Immediately on her right was her walk-in closet, a door blocking her view of it. In front of her was her ensuite bathroom, fully equipped with a giant soaking tub and a separate shower. She missed that bathtub so much some days, hers not as big at home.

She came to stand in front of the mirror, shocked at her own appearance. The gash at the top of her head had long since stopped bleeding but she looked like she was in the middle of a war zone. The dust was all over her face, giving her a grey hue to her skin and she had no idea what other wounds she suffered thanks to the collapse. Athenacia removed her scrubs dropping them on the ground and going into the shower. She wasn't going to wait around for a bath but there was always tomorrow. She let the scorching water hit her skin and winced where her pain was, especially at the top of her head. She took care of that with her magic, knowing that otherwise, she would need stitches. Looking down, she saw the large bruise from where her leg was crushed, obviously her magic not strong enough to get to that. There was also a bruise on her arm and a few scrapes here and there. But she managed to get out with minimal damage and that was all that mattered. She got out of the shower feeling a lot better but even more exhausted than usual.

Athenacia came back into the main room in just a towel, padded toward her bed and shivering slightly when she got under her covers. She left the towel on the floor, grabbing her phone from the night table. There was one message waiting for her from Gladiolus. She smiled, but it quickly had her heart shattering into pieces when she read it.

 _Flu huh? Nice how you can go to work though. You didn't have to lie to me. Actually don't bother at all anymore._

She was so stunned, tears coming to her eyes. She didn't know what to say to him, her exhaustion to the point that she could barely think. Sighed sadly and putting her phone back down, she cried herself to sleep.

...

thanks, guys! happy Xmas or whatever you do on the holiday. I will have the third and final part up within the week. enjoy your holiday and have a safe one! thanks for reading!


	3. Love Like Winter: The Ball

hey there! this is the final part of _Love like Winter_. thanks so much for reading!

...

"Don't push yourself."

Gladiolus spoke on his phone, Athenacia on the other line. He was just getting back from a run in the cooler air, stepping through his door when he heard his phone buzz. He frowned when he saw her picture come up. She never called him, something must be up. But when he answered the phone he could hear how terrible she sounded. She had the flu and he instantly regretted taking her out the other night. They were lucky the sky even cleared but were in the cold for so long. Didn't matter, she was already sick, which meant she couldn't come tonight and while he was a little disappointed, he couldn't get upset with her for something she couldn't control. She assured him that if she felt better she would come by but he didn't want her to exert herself at his expense.

"Mm."

Her voice was drifting off. He wanted to say something inappropriate to wake her up but Iris had walked into the kitchen where he currently was. She was looking at him curiously and he turned his back on her. His sister didn't need to hear what he was saying.

"You still there?"

But there was no response on the other end. Smiling slightly, he knew that she had passed out. He hung up the phone and put it in his pocket before opening the fridge. Gladiolus wasn't sure what he was looking for but he knew he was hungry. Pulling out something quick he went to the counter and noted that Iris was still there. He raised his brow at her questioningly, before taking a bite of his food.

"Who was that?" she asked, though she already had a smile on her face.

"Doesn't matter," he replied, continuing to eat as if she wasn't there.

"It was your girlfriend wasn't it?"

"So what if it was?"

"Do I _finally_ get to meet her?"

"Nope."

Iris frowned, "But didn't you say she was coming?"

"She's sick."

Her face fell, the disappointment evident all around her. Gladiolus continued to eat, trying to get the sound of Athenacia's coughing fit out of his head. She sounded rough, especially when she whined while it was happening. She never seemed like the type to get sick but she would know better than anyone if she was. Iris was still chatting away about something but he wasn't listening. When he was finished eating he just walked away from her despite her protesting it the entire way. The teen tried to stop him but failed, causing him to smirk when he demonstrated just how big he was compared to her. Eventually, he was openly laughing at her poor attempts to brush him off. It was too bad Athenacia wasn't coming by because these two would get along extremely well.

As the day wore on it eventually turned into night as always. Gladiolus was still in his room despite knowing that people were already showing up. One of the reasons he was taking so long was because this wasn't exactly a fun occasion like it appeared to be. It was far less formal than the ball but still had high expectations of him while he was there. He was still in the public eye whether it was the comfort of his own home or not. He wanted Athenacia here not only to meet his family but also to help him relax. She had no idea how much stress she took away from him with her presence and he never actually showed her the more tedious aspects of his job. A career like hers was much harder so he never really wanted to complain about his.

The thought of calling her crossed his mind several times while sitting on his bed and staring at his phone. He wanted to know how she was doing, hadn't messaged her all day since he was far too busy getting everything ready with Jared and Iris. His father was at work but was home now greeting people as they came in. Gladiolus knew that he didn't have much time before he would be summoned down there. His finger hovered over her name, the picture he assigned to it blown up but cropped on the display so that he could only see her hazel eyes. But they had a light shining in them, making him smile at the memory. She was looking down at a chart while she was working, having cured another patient. She was so passionate about her job, wanting to help people despite what they thought of her. He admired her for it and wanted to be around her all the time so he could see that woman that he knew he had strong feelings for.

The Shield decided against calling her. If she was sick then she should rest and he didn't want to disturb her, even if he was eager to know what sort of surprise she had gotten him for the Solstice. He hated that he hadn't gotten anything for her, not one to really shop. But for whatever reason, he knew that she wouldn't mind. Besides, from what she was saying it wasn't actually a gift that he could hold onto wherever he went. His smile grew when he recalled her teasing him about it. Looks like he would have to wait but he was sure that it was worth it. Rising from his bed, he put his phone in his pocket. He was ready for the night no matter what came at him.

More guests had arrived and with that meant Ignis and Noctis. The Prince came because the alternative wasn't really all that exciting and Ignis made sure that he made it on time. Gladiolus was with them as often as he could be, a well-deserved break from playing nice with his father's cohorts. The Crownsguard were all good people but the young Shield had other things on his mind. Prompto was supposed to make an appearance as well but so far he hadn't shown up yet.

"We should have just picked him up," grumbled Noctis, obviously bored with being here himself.

"The roads are rather awful. I can only imagine how much more troublesome they've become since we've arrived," said Ignis.

"Maybe he won't show."

"Oh ye of little faith."

As if on cue, the young blond spoke, gaining their attention with a bright smile on his face.

Gladiolus scoffed, "Even had the decency to try and look presentable."

"All things considered," he gave a sheepish sort of laugh.

"What does that mean?" asked Noctis.

"Bad accident on the way that my cab got mixed in. We were fine but some of the others weren't. Had to get cleared by a doctor before I could come," he then looked at Gladiolus, "Too bad Cia won't make it since she's stuck at work."

The large man blinked, "What?"

"Yeah, I saw her working she was really busy. The accident was pretty bad and it didn't look like there were a lot of people to help out at the hospital."

"Is that right?" but it didn't sound like a question.

In fact, the hard look on his face had Prompto stop talking immediately. There was a tension forming around the Shield that all three of them could sense and they dared not speak another word. The young blond looked a little apprehensive, stepping out of the way before he was trampled. Gladiolus walked away, almost looking like he was stomping as he headed toward the liquor cabinet. The other three men just watched him go in a stunned silence.

"You've really gone and done it now," said Noctis.

"Oops?"

Ignis sighed, getting the feeling that this was going to be a long night.

And he was right, it was a long night. Gladiolus drunk a lot though was able to control himself fairly well. He was angry, something that his friends could tell. But he kept face despite his intoxication. Ignis was watching his consumption with calculating eyes. Whenever there was a disturbance in the large man's world regarding Dr. Virum it affected them all despite that he didn't know it. When they weren't speaking for a while before they started seeing each other he projected it on all of them until the situation was remedied. From what he could deduce she had not told Gladiolus that she would be working, so obviously she had lied to him and he was now finding out about it. Whatever the minor details were this was no time to lose himself in his own rage. And there was rage, even if it wasn't very obvious.

The Shield did not stop, ignoring the disapproving gaze of not only Ignis but his father as well. As long as he didn't cause a scene he saw no need for their judgement. Cor was also giving him strange looks. Gladiolus knew that the Marshal had trained Athenacia and was a little protective of her when it came to her past. He just didn't realize how bad it was until he was met with those piercing blue eyes. It wasn't like the two of them dating was a big secret, but he didn't see the need for the older man to get involved. As things were winding down Cor ended up getting a phone call that turned him far more serious than Gladiolus had ever seen him, and abruptly left. Whatever happened must have been important, shortly after the television was on and all eyes were glued to it. That's when he left the room.

Gladiolus controlled himself as best as possible until he was in his bedroom. His was fuming as he paced around, not stomping as he did not want anyone to come looking for him. She's at work? At work? The flu was just a lie so she could go to work? No, it was so that she didn't have to come. She avoided coming near his house on more than one occasion, clearly didn't want to accept his invite when he delivered it. She was always doing this, keeping him at arm's length and never letting him get close to her. This wasn't the first time she had lied to him in order to avoid something. Before they even started dating she lied about having to work in order to avoid him knowing where she lived. He thought that she was done with that now that they were together. But he was wrong and he should have seen this coming. He should have known that she wouldn't bother. Well if that was the case then she didn't have to at all anymore. She clearly didn't want to go any further with him, avoiding any sort of advances that he made with her. He knew she was damaged but he had more than proven himself.

He held his phone in his hands, sitting down in a nearby chair finally. He brought up her name on the screen, wanting to call her and demand answers from her. But it occurred to him that he probably wouldn't get any. She would avoid him like she had their entire relationship, since the day he first asked her out. Why bother even giving him a chance if she wasn't really trying anyway? What was the point of being with someone who clearly didn't want to be with him? There wasn't. She didn't want him then fine. No more dancing around it, he should have accepted no the first time she spoke it. Clicking on her name he composed his message and then threw away his phone in disgust. It wasn't long before he passed out in the chair, completely done with today. Happy Solstice to him.

...

Athenacia sighed for the umpteenth time that day. It was two days after the accident and she hadn't heard from Gladiolus since he broke up with her over text the night of the Solstice. She woke up the next morning in her bed at Cor's house where she had grown up. Taking the day off work was definitely in order and no one disputed it after knowing what happened to her. Changing into some clothes still stored there left her amazed that they even still fit her. Of course, she hadn't grown all that much since she was a teenager, smaller than average for a human it seemed. Observing herself critically, she noticed a scrape on her right cheek that was bruised. I wasn't visible the night previous thanks to the dust all over her skin. There was also a contusion on her arm as well from the first impact. She groaned, deciding that it was good enough before coming down the stairs noisily. As she came into the kitchen, a small smile crept across her lips when she saw another one of those mugs ready for her and a plate of bacon in between her and the Marshal.

"Thought we'd try it again," he said.

Athenacia only nodded at him, letting some of the better memories wash over her. Taking a drink of his hot chocolate, its warmth spread through her. She took a piece of bacon and was reminded of how well he could cook it. Rightfully so, this was the only thing they ever really agreed on and the only amount of personal time they spent together was eating bacon on the roof.

"Thanks," she said, "Sorry I've been a shithead."

"Lately or the last 25 years?" he raised a brow, though his voice was light.

She smiled, "You decide."

Cor gave her a small laugh, nodding at her once. It wasn't long after that he drove her home. Athenacia kept looking at her phone, expecting another message from Gladiolus but it never came. He broke up with her because somehow he had found out that she was at work and not at home with the flu. She was so hurt at the way he had ended things she pushed it from her mind until she was alone. She could easily tell him what happened but why? Would that really change anything? And how was she going to explain that she was feeling better so suddenly anyway? He didn't even ask her what happened, just drew his own conclusions and then made his decision. Even if she bothered to text him she doubted that he would listen anyway, knowing how stubborn he was.

Athenacia went to bed angry that he was so insensitive. There was no sense in looking her phone after that, having another dreamless sleep. She had the day off work again and that was how she ended up here, sighing for the umpteenth time. A new car was definitely in order since hers was crushed in the accident with no chance of being repaired. With the crappy weather outside it was a wonder when she would even get a chance to grab her things from inside of it - if anything even survived. She hated having to go through the process of buying a car, starting to wonder if she even really needed one. But she knew in the end that she did. She was sitting in the waiting area, the salesperson she was dealing with looking over the finer details of her application.

"Good afternoon."

The doctor turned her head toward a familiar voice. Ignis was standing behind her, a pleasant smile on his face. Of all people to run into he was here? She only offered him a small smile of her own, nodding her head slightly and turning back toward the television. The news was talking about the upcoming ball, the one that would take place tomorrow night. She pointedly ignored Ignis that came to sit on the chair beside her. She didn't want to talk to him, having nothing to say about anything. It was then one of the secretaries came out to assure her that the salesperson would be finished shortly.

"Dr. Virum, it was my understanding that you already owned a car," said Ignis.

"Yeah..." she looked a little nervous, "I did. There was an accident."

She didn't need to say anymore. The bruise on her arm and scrape on her cheek that was also bruised which said all it needed to. He didn't pry for any more information and she was actually shocked that he hadn't. Athenacia chewed her lip a little nervously, before frowning at the realization that he was here in a car dealership.

"What are you doing here anyway?" she asked curiously.

"Ah. I have an appointment to ensure Noct's car is in top shape for the ball tomorrow," he replied, pushing up his glasses.

"He has a car?"

"Indeed though he prefers resting over driving."

"Shocker," her voice was dry.

Ignis smiled slightly before they fell back into that awkward silence. And it was only awkward because he obviously had heard that she was no longer dating Gladiolus. She could feel him itching to ask her what happened. Her stomach tied into knots as she thought about what she would even say to him. Of course, she could easily tell him that a building fell on her and that it wasn't her fault that she didn't show up to his house but she didn't want to make it seem like she was making excuses. What happened was between the two of them. He opened his mouth to ask her but that was when the salesperson was ready for her. She shot up instantly, practically running away from the young Adviser that was watching her with that infuriating calculating gaze.

Once she was finished with everything she breathed a sigh of relief. It took a lot longer than expected but she would have a brand new car by next week. In the meantime, she was happy she didn't see Ignis on her way out though the thought of their conversation had her feeling down. Athenacia was mad at Gladiolus for being insensitive but it still hurt to know what she wasn't going to see him again. He was on her mind constantly and she finally knew what to do about him. There hadn't the time to mourn her loss and she knew of only one place that she could do that. She made her way to the train station, hopping on without looking back.

The snow was starting to fall again by the time she arrived at her destination. Athenacia knew she should have called first but she was so engrossed in her thoughts she didn't even think about it. No turning back now unless no one was home. She raised her hand, forming a fist and knocking loudly on the door. She strained her ears to listen and relaxed a little when she heard footsteps making their way over to her. Crowe opened up her door, widening her eyes in surprise to see her friend standing there. Athenacia had a look to her eye that the glaive hadn't seen in a while.

"What do you want?" asked Crowe.

"To get stupid drunk and forget that I have the ability to feel things," replied Athenacia in a nonchalant manner.

She smiled widely, "You came to the right place."

...

When Ignis left the car dealership he had intended to go straight to Noctis's apartment to make sure the wayward Prince was on track for the ball. But after seeing Dr. Virum there he changed his mind. It wasn't because of her obvious discomfort at her severed relationship, it was because when she left she managed to knock over a magazine that was hiding the paper. It caught his eye, simply because there was a picture of her on it. He took it carefully, reading it over with mild surprise. So that's what happened to her. He was not expecting this turn of events and after speaking with Gladiolus yesterday he knew that his friend didn't know about this either. That's when he decided to head toward the Amicitia manor instead. The delay may very well be worth it.

The Adviser was greeted at the door by the steward, Jared and taken toward the living room. Gladiolus was laying on the couch, clearly brooding still since the other night. Training was suspended so there wasn't much for him to do but usually he was out and about. Ordinarily, Ignis was sure that the other man would be with Dr. Virum but given that events of the other night that was definitely not the case right now. The large man sat up, not really expecting any company. Ignis threw the paper down in front of the Shield, that stern look still on his features. Gladiolus raised a brow, looking up at his friend before taking it in his hands. Ignis watched as the man before him frowned deeper the more that he read.

"What is this?" demanded Gladiolus, throwing it away in disgust.

"The answers you are quite obviously seeking," replied Ignis.

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you look at the date? That was the same night as the Solstice. Perhaps you were hasty in your decision to end your courting."

Gladiolus frowned, hating that someone was butting into his business. He was perfectly fine sitting on the couch being angry about the fact that she hadn't tried to contact him whatsoever. Angry at himself for being so upset about all of this in the first place. She as just a girl, it wasn't like he had trouble finding them, and now Ignis was inserting himself where he didn't belong.

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because you are insufferable otherwise. She was in a terrible accident. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself you should consider yourself fortunate that she wasn't gravely injured or worse, killed."

Gladiolus grunted and Ignis left after that. He picked up the paper, reading it over again. The picture of Athenacia over the headline is what he was looking at. She was covered in dust, blood coming down her face while she was looking away. She saved people in the parking garage, stuck there for hours it said. Ignis was right, she was lucky to be alive. He felt like an asshole now, but still in the back of his mind posed the question. Why didn't she tell him? She was at a mall not too far from here when this happened. At a mall after she was at work. After she supposedly had the flu. After she lied to him.

He sighed, tearing his gaze away and laying back down on the couch. He stared up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head, lost in thought. Why was he letting her get to him anyway? Usually, if girls flaked on him (which was rare in the first place) he just moved on with his life. This was the first time he ever sat around moping. Gladiolus remembered the look on her face the last time he saw her, after bringing her out to see the Lights. The memory made him smile absently, even if it was sad. He loved the look in her eye that night. He loved how easy she was to tease, how she devoted herself to her job. He loved the way she never complained about any of their dates, or how much she could eat in one sitting. He loved the way she would giggle at him even when she tried to be mad. He loved... her. The realization made most of his anger disappear, the understanding of its existence finally settling in. The more he thought about it the more he realized that he did so much for to get her than he ever had for any other. She wasn't just some girl she was... Cia. There was no one else he really wanted, just to have her back despite that he was the one to send her away. Even now he couldn't get his mind off of her. Shit, he really did love her.

The look on her face that night, he knew she felt something for him deeper than she could say. The same way he felt about her the more he spent time with her. She truly sounded like death when he spoke to her that morning, didn't sound like she was faking at all. She is a doctor, it's possible she was feeling better before she was called into work. But why go to a mall? Why not tell him what happened? Did she really just give up on them so easily? Gladiolus shook his head, rolling over so that his face was inside the couch. He needed to talk to her about this, figure out exactly what was going on with her. He just had no idea how or when he was going to go about doing it

...

Cor was extremely unhappy right now. He had been trying to get a hold of Athenacia ever since she left his house after the Solstice. While he knew that she was recovering from her accident he also knew about her falling out with Gladiolus. He overhead that the young man was moping in his own way from Clarus. Cor was the last person she wanted to talk to during moments like that so it wasn't really a surprise that she had ignored him. But she wasn't even reading her messages or she would have checked into the Citadel much sooner. The roads weren't as bad as the night of the Solstice so he was making good time getting to her apartment building. He didn't even bother trying to find a space, just left it out front and walked through the doors and went up the stairs, all the way to the seventh floor. Since she was in a corner unit he was at her door as soon as he entered the hallway.

The Marshal pounded on the door and there was no answer. His face hardened when he didn't get an answer still. He didn't bother knocking again, going to break the door only to find that it was unlocked. He sighed, wondering how many times he told her to lock the damn door. The lights were on and shoe mountain greeted him first. Cor walked past that and into the living room. Of course, it was trashed, she was such a slob. He noted the line of liquor containers all around as well, walking down the hall toward her bedroom. He didn't get that far. The bathroom door was open, the light on and a body on the ground beside the toilet. Rolling his eyes, the sight of her passed out infuriating him all the more he barged in, kicking at her lightly.

"Virum!"

She didn't budge and he repeated his actions. She began to stir, slowly lifting herself off the ground and rubbing her head. Immediately she vomited in the toilet bowl, flushing it down before having a look around her. She was a little shocked to see Cor towering over her like that, the look on his face speaking volumes about the way that he found her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice a little hoarse.

"Why aren't you ready yet?!" he bellowed at her.

Athenacia winced at his voice, "My hearing is perfect, thank you," she rubbed her ears, "Ready for what?"

"The ball."

"The ball?" she rubbed her head again.

"The one thrown every year! If you answered your damn phone you would know that you were supposed to be there over an hour ago!"

"What do you mean I'm supposed to be there?"

"You're hospital staff, your presence is mandatory."

"Yeah for the admin."

"Are you not the assistant manager of the emergency department?"

"I am," she replied confused, not following.

"Then that makes you admin, meaning you were supposed to be there an hour ago! Get up and get your shit together Virum!"

Athenacia was only gaping at him in disbelief. She had to go to the Citadel? Mandatory presence? This couldn't be happening right now. While she was extremely hungover she knew she really did have to get her shit together right now. She woke up for the first time since he barged into her door and knew she had to do this in order to make him go away. Shaking he head, she should have looked into this a lot sooner because she had absolutely no idea how she was going to get through this night. After pulling herself up off the floor, she flew toward her walk-in closet to quickly look through her clothes. There was no dress that was ball worthy, she was screwed! Keeping to her search, however, not giving up until she managed to find something that would be acceptable. Hastily pulling it off the hangar, she raced back into her bathroom and gave Cor a pointed look. He got the message immediately, vacating the room to allow her to get ready.

Cor paced around her apartment, looking on at the mess she had accumulated. He was only reminded of all the fights they would have when she was younger about keeping her room clean. Some things just never change, and apparently, her poor living habits were one of them. Cor expected her to be at the hospital instead of here hung over from a night of drinking. From the looks of things, this wasn't the first time she went on a bender like that and he absently wondered when she developed a drinking problem. There was so much he didn't know about her, having that rift between them over the years after what happened with Grun. She apologized to him though and he was hoping that maybe it was a step in the right direction. A sign that she was starting to grow up.

Of course, the most obvious sign was the one in front of him. Athenacia came out of the bathroom dressed and ready to go aside from shoes. It was like looking at her for the first time in years and she had grown up right under his nose without him noticing. He raised a brow as he looked her over, impressed with how well she did. She used to take hours to make that result but it seemed that she had improved over the years. He ought to give her more credit. Nodding at her, he went to the door to wait while she put on shoes hastily, grabbing a coat and one of those tiny purses that women carried around before closing the door behind her and locking it. They opted for the elevator this time since the shoes she was wearing would actually slow them down on the stairs. She had a very focused look on her face, paler than usual thanks to the hangover she was still suffering. He looked at the time, growling slightly as they got into the car.

The Marshal sped off though was careful on the streets. He noticed that she was getting more and more nervous the closer they got toward the Citadel. The young girl clearly didn't want to be there but wasn't putting up a fight about it. She cared about her job, that much he knew. He kept a frown on his face, trying to just get there. His absence would be noted but someone had to take care of this girl and she was his responsibility anyway. As they pulled up to the Citadel he was granted access easily before getting out of his car at the front and having someone else park it. He rushed her toward the ballroom, hating that they were going to walk in during the middle of the King's speech. She gave her coat to the check and then Cor opened the door, trying to be as quiet as possible.

"I'd also like to recognize..."

King Regis was doing his honourable mentions, the last part of his speech.

"Doctor Athenacia Virum."

Gladiolus was attentive, noting that the door opened right at the moment the monarch was speaking. Who would be so rude as to move while he was talking? But his amber gaze found Cor, a scowl on his face as he appeared to be almost bickering with Athenacia. He had his hand on her upper arm firmly, pulling her toward a table. They didn't get very far before her name was called, and she looked like a deer in headlights for a brief moment. All eyes were on her, as well as a spotlight and she did her best to relax. Cor faded into the background, obviously not wanting to be seen. Gladiolus was actually struck by the sight of her. Her hair was curled, half of it taken up at the top of her head with a simple silver sparkle on the left side. There was a scrape on her right cheek with a bruise around it, the evidence of her accident still there. Her makeup was hiding most of it but she couldn't get all of it. The dress she wore hung off her right shoulder, closing on her bodice and then flaring out at her hips in a natural flowing nature. It was black, though halfway down it started to turn blue. There was a sparkled design at the top of the dress and at her right curve, catching the light. He couldn't see her shoes but there was a sizable bruise on her arm that he didn't fail to notice. She had a thin, navy scarf that was see-through material hanging off the bends of her elbows to accent her. The sight of her took his breath away.

"Dr. Virum was one of the victims in that terrible accident the night of the Winter Solstice. Though she was injured herself she maintained focus and saved lives. Every day doctors like her sacrifice basic needs that we often take for granted in order to ensure our health. Let us raise a glass to those like Dr. Virum that have the strength to work against all odds."

The speech was over and the spotlight was off of her. Though she was still standing up straight as she kept her gaze upon King Regis. Gladiolus watched as he nodded at her, giving her a small smile. It was as if he knew her like an old friend. She returned his smile, bowing her head slightly as she curtsied in the most elegant way he had ever seen before in his life. He raised his eyebrows in surprise before she was whisked away forcefully by Cor toward her seat. Gladiolus watched her the entire time, Cor leaving to return to his post. She hadn't noticed him yet and he wondered if she would at all with the number of people here. The King was finished and the food was being brought out. It was time to start the ball.

Gladiolus kept to his job though his amber eyes wandered to Athenacia quite often. She was sitting at her table, drinking from the champagne glasses that were brought out while speaking with her colleagues, oblivious that he was even here and he watched the smile on her face. If he wasn't on duty he'd... do what exactly? The sight of her struck him but he wasn't exactly sure he was ready to speak with her. This definitely wasn't the time or place for it, not that he could if he wanted to anyway. He heard a low whistle from in front of him noting that Prompto had come over.

"Hard to believe _that_ is on the market again," he said, nudging Gladiolus.

He was referring to Athenacia, who was now dancing with someone no one knew. Gladiolus tried to keep himself passive but he was sure he had a scowl on his face. This wasn't the first person to dance with her. Seemed she was popular after being acknowledged by the King and she looked absolutely stunning.

"Think I might take a crack at it," he spoke again, cracking his fingers as he did.

"Like she'd give you a chance," quipped Noctis.

He shrugged, "I'm sure I'd be a delight after the big guy."

"Watch it," warned Gladiolus darkly.

"You watch, I'm not on duty. See ya."

Prompto laughed as he walked away freely. Gladiolus watched as he made his way toward her. The shock on her face made him smirk a little until Prompto pulled her hand onto the dance floor.

"He actually did it," commented Noctis, impressed.

The man behind him was glowering at the sight. Prompto gave pointed looks in his direction and it was then she realized that Gladiolus was here. Athenacia flushed slightly but it soon disappeared as she kept dancing. When the song ended she gave Prompto a playful push with a bright smile still on her face before returning to her seat. The blond pulled out his phone, using it briefly before putting it in his pocket. Gladiolus had his eyes glued to the woman that took another glass of champagne. That was her fifth, he was counting.

"Think I might try it," said Noctis suddenly.

"You? Dance? You have two left feet," scoffed Gladiolus, almost laughing.

"I'm inclined to agree, though I daresay it is more interaction than usual on your part," interjected Ignis.

The young royal shrugged, "She made it look easy."

Gladiolus glared at his charge, who rose from his seat and made his way toward Athenacia. He gave Prompto a high five, the blond smiling smugly in their direction before making his way back over the Shield. Athenacia was in complete shock when Noctis arrived, downing the glass currently in her hands. But because he was the Prince she couldn't refuse and Gladiolus watched still with that scowl creased among his features.

"You know your face will get stuck like that if you keep doing it," teased Prompto.

"Keep it up," growled Gladiolus, his eyes fixated on his charge.

The young man only laughed. The song came to an end and she again curtsied in that elegant way Gladiolus had no idea how she could. Where did she learn that anyway? Did she really have to be so perfect right now? Noctis made his way back to his seat at the head table, and that is when Ignis decided it was his turn.

"You to?" Gladiolus raised a brow in surprise.

"I fancy a good dance partner," he smirked in response, "She does look rather exquisite tonight, wouldn't you agree?"

Gladiolus narrowed his eyes in response, crossing his arms.

"Alright Iggy! You know he's probably better suited to her anyway," quipped Prompto.

The Shield just growled, watching as Ignis was next in line. Athenacia sighed in exasperation but did take the Adviser's hand. Gladiolus felt a tightening in his chest as he watched them. Ignis actually knew how to dance, holding he closer than necessary as he led her effortlessly through the steps. Her face was flushed the entire time, the two of them looking like a new couple. It was so natural Gladiolus actually felt jealous. He knew what they were all doing and he had to put a stop to it. As the song concluded Ignis whispered something in her ear that made her face turn a dark shade of crimson though the act seemed extremely intimate. Gladiolus narrowed his eyes in anger as a fist clenched at his own arms. This was not going to go unpunished. Good thing he had a break coming up.

...

Athenacia finished off the champagne in her glass, wishing she had something stronger. She grabbed another glass from a passing worker and looked around with a sigh. Prompto was back with the Prince, chatting happily and looking in her direction once in a while. Ignis held a small smile, almost looking smug and Gladiolus was walking toward her. She blinked, making sure she was seeing things right. Gladiolus was walking toward her, his eyes only on her. Downing her glass quickly, she felt anxious but trying not to let it show on her face. The doctor grabbed another glass but held it lightly in between her hands. She looked everywhere but at the large approaching man, hoping that maybe he was going somewhere behind her. She already made a spectacle of herself since she had arrived drastically late in the middle of the King's speech, there was no need to be humiliated anymore. But she wasn't that lucky, he stopped right in front of her.

"Wanna dance?" he asked, his voice gruff.

"Aren't you working?"

"Break time."

She huffed, "I don't dance," she replied, the boldface lie spoken into her glass as she continued to avoid his gaze.

"Good, me neither."

She would have looked at him curiously if he hadn't grabbed her arm so suddenly and yanked her from her seat. Athenacia barely had time to grab her scarf as he purposefully pulled her toward the door of the courtyard. She was flushed, shivering slightly when the cool winter air hit her bare skin. He kept going, past any onlookers and further into the greenery. The Shield slowed down a little when she was starting to trip a bit in the deeper snow. He turned to face her, seeing that she was shivering. It was then he realized that her shoes weren't exactly made for trudging in the snow. He should have thought of that, watching as she brought her scarf about her shoulders tightly. Shedding the jacket of his uniform and putting it over her shoulders, he picked her up with ease. A surprised cry escaped her, clinging to his neck while he continued to walk. She was so stunned she couldn't form words, having no choice but to wait to figure out what he wanted.

Athenacia had no idea where they were, taking a maze of turns but he seemed to know where he was going. They came to the centre of it all, at least, that's what she assumed. There was a frozen pond that would have had a lovely fountain going if it wasn't currently winter. Gladiolus brought her to a bench, wiping off the snow and setting her down. Because the jacket was overly large she wasn't sitting on the snow directly with her dress. He cleared off a place for him to sit right beside her, taking her legs and then beginning to try and warm up her feet with his palms.

"Sorry," he said, his voice low and his gaze on his hands.

The doctor just watched him, feeling the chill begin to leave her. She didn't really know what to say, having not responded to his text from the night of the Solstice. She hadn't seen him either, forgetting entirely that he would be here. Not that she was eager to come at all but Cor made sure she met her obligations whether she wanted to or not. Athenacia was pulled out of her thoughts when Gladiolus's hand gingerly ran over the bruise on her leg from the accident. She pulled her dress over it, trying to hide it from him. He let out a sad sigh, going back to keeping her feet warm after he pulled them through the snow. He noted that flakes were making their way down on the sky and he knew after she had the flu that he probably shouldn't keep her out here for so long.

"Doc... about the other night..." he put a hand on the back of his head, shaking it slightly, "I just thought you were trying to get out of coming over. I didn't know that-"

"A building fell on me?" she finished, an edge in her voice.

He brought his hand back up to the wound, only keeping it over the clothing, "Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged before looking away, "Just figured you wouldn't want to hear it."

He grunted, "Didn't at the time. You could have said something still."

"Why?"

"You didn't want to fight for me at all?"

Athenacia looked at him sharply, "You assumed what you wanted to."

"And you didn't bother to try."

"Why should I? Even after you found out that a building fell on me you didn't bother to say anything. You should have realized that you were a jerk."

"Cia, you said you had the flu-"

"And I did."

"Then Prompto said he saw you at work-"

"I was feeling better and got called in."

"I had no idea that building fell-"

"I didn't exactly know that it was going to either."

"What were you doing there anyway if you were feeling better?!"

"I was getting something for you!"

He stopped what he was about to say next. Originally he had thought that she was just avoiding him entirely. He felt bad about the way he acted the night of the Solstice, but it still didn't explain why she was out there. Prompto had egged him on the entire night, even Ignis joining in for the hell of it. Gladiolus wanted to clear the air with her but he was not expecting her to drop that on him. And now there were tears in her eyes though they did not fall.

"I was on my way over," her voice was lower, her gaze dropping toward his hands that were still on her feet, "I was always told that you should never show up empty-handed. I was such a mess that day anyway, forgot to change after work so I was in scrubs but at least I would make it. I was about to leave the mall when the garage just collapsed. Completely totalled my car and would have flattened me if I didn't move in time. We were trapped for hours and by the time I even thought about my phone you already broke it off."

She brought her arms so that they were about her knees, leaning her chin on top of them. Hearing her heave a sad sigh tore at him. He reached over, bringing his hand to her cheek. The bends of his fingers were along her jaw as his thumb ran along the skin there. It was cold, just like the rest of her it looked like. She met his gaze and he gently wiped the tear that fell.

"You should have said something," he replied, his voice softer than before.

Athenacia sighed again, "It's not that simple for me," she shook her head, out of his grasp, "I..." she looked down again, trying to gather her thoughts, "I'm not that great with people. The last person I let get close to me well..." her fists tightened at the memory, "He... He tried to..." she shook her head again, knowing she couldn't tell him that, "He hurt me, a lot. I haven't been in a serious relationship, or any really since then. I'm constantly looked at as a traitor, still am and probably always will be."

She was silent for a moment, wiping away her own tears. Gladiolus knew she wasn't finished yet and patiently waited for her. Her knuckles were white, her body shaking slightly as she tried to hold in her own tears. They never spoke much about her past, she always wished to avoid it. He could see how hard it was for her and he knew that this was deeper than he thought. He always had trouble with his emotions he never realized that she did too. Maybe even worse than him. He reached out a hand, taking her own to try and calm her down a little or even be reassuring. She was broken before he had gotten to her and he never realized how bad until this very moment when she couldn't even form words to speak to him. Those walls were meant to protect herself but he wanted her to realize she didn't have to do that from him. Athenacia squeezed his hand, summoning her courage and facing him again.

"I like you Gladio, maybe more than I know. I love spending time with you, that you're so thoughtful. I love that you surprise me at work and go out of your way to show me a good time. In a perfect world I would see you every second of the day if I could but... When you told me not to bother anymore I was so hurt I did what I usually do and ran away from my pain. I... I don't want things to end but being who I am and how I'm known in the city I knew that it was for the best. I'll always be the Imperial spy trying to fish information out from the Prince's Shield. It's all kinds of negativity that you don't need. It's not that I didn't want to fight for you, it's that I just wanted things to be easier for you. I have so much unwanted baggage and after knowing how amazing you are I know that you deserve something better than anything I could give you. I'm such a screw up in so many ways but... at least I could do this one thing right."

At some point during her speech, her gaze had shifted back toward her hands. The tears fell but she was silent about it. Gladiolus had an unreadable look on his face, not really knowing what to say to her. He had no idea how this conversation was going to go, initially just wanting to make sure she was okay after the accident. There were all kinds of things he was learning about her tonight, including how she really felt about him. It wasn't like he didn't know she liked him, that light in her eyes shining bright whenever they were together. But he never knew how deep it ran, even while she was keeping him at arm's length. He realized even getting that close to her was a real privilege and it made him smile, happy that he was able to do so in the first place. Sliding closer caused her to look up in alarm. He planted a kiss on her soft lips, her nose cold against him but he didn't care. Holding her tenderly, one arm was kept around her shoulders. He felt her relax, giving into him just like he wanted. She was still shocked when he pulled apart, looking at him nervously even.

"I can carry a lot," he said, smirking a little.

"Gladio-"

He put a finger to her lips, silencing her protest, "You're a real pain in the ass, woman," he said lightly, that smile still on his face. She looked at him helplessly, his finger still stopping her from speaking, "You don't gotta hide from me, Doc. But you gotta learn to speak up or this ain't gonna to work. You're _my_ pain in the ass and it's going to take a lot more than a building falling on you or bullshit accusations to get rid of me."

"But-"

"I already told you I don't care. Let them talk I don't give a shit about them. Just you."

To prove his point he pulled her in for another kiss. She was still stunned but eventually she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. His jacket fell from her shoulders but she didn't feel the winter air at the moment, lost in his feeling and swept up in the passion of their kiss that time seemed to stop. This was their moment and it erased all the bumps along the road. Everything was put back right in their universe and she was breathing a little heavier when they broke apart. Athenacia was flushed, the snowflakes hitting her skin barely felt while she was trapped in his smouldering amber gaze. Her nose was still against his, ghosting along as her eyelids fell shut once more. She was ready to claim his lips again, greedily wanting more of his taste that she missed while they were apart. Gladiolus was much in the same boat, having no intention of letting her go until he had his way with her. There was one small problem with that plan, however.

"Cia!"

The sound of the Marshal, Cor Leonis's, voice echoing throughout the courtyard made her freeze in place, her eyes widening. She heard her name again and turned her head in the direction it was coming from. Shit. Athenacia was already on thin ice with Cor the last thing she needed was for him to catch her like this.

"Why's Cor looking for you?" asked Gladiolus curiously, keeping his hold upon her.

"Butting into my business like usual," she muttered under her breath, annoyed.

"Hm?" he looked at her curiously.

"Nothing," she caught herself from revealing too much.

"Virum!"

Cor's voice was getting more agitated as he called her. She cringed at the sound of her name, detaching herself from Gladiolus and plunging her feet back into the cold snow on the ground. It came up past her ankles even with the heels she had on. She shivered, pulling her flimsy scarf tighter about her shoulders. Then she felt the large coat back on her and her body lift off the ground.

"Gladio!" she seethed quietly, not wanting to alert the Marshal.

"Your feet will freeze by the time you get back," he said pointedly.

"He is your commanding officer and you're technically working. Do you really think it's a good idea to get caught like this?"

"Good point."

She was almost relieved, getting ready to put herself back in the snow. But that wasn't the case. Instead, he bought them further inside, away from the voice of the Marshal that was fading into the open air. The snowfall was getting a little heavier and he was moving so fast she had no choice but to hold on. How the hell did he know where to go? This place was a maze, a fortress of hedges. But they were getting back toward the entrance of the ball and once the snow was no longer at his ankles he placed her gently on the ground as if nothing was happening. Athenacia gave him back his jacket and he put it on quickly. She would have been cold if she wasn't pumping full of adrenaline from almost getting caught by Cor out there.

They walked back into the ball, everything still going on while she wasn't around. Good, no one besides Cor happened to notice that she had disappeared. How did he even know that she was out there anyway? Didn't matter, Gladiolus put his hands on her shoulders firmly and that alerted her instantly. Clarus Amicitia, the King's Sworn Shield was making his way toward his son and she was being held in place. Her heart hammered in her chest, the colour draining from her face as she wished she took the chance to get away while she could. But the King's Shield was not looking at his son, he was looking directly at her. Probably why the large man behind her was stopping her from leaving. Not that it made the situation better, if anything it only made her feel like she was going to have heart failure at any moment. Clarus stopped in front of her once he reached them.

"Virum," his voice rang out, looking down at her.

"Sir," she straightened automatically, her training still very thoroughly bred into her when being addressed by superiors.

"You're needed in the conference room immediately."

"I'm sorry sir?" she frowned in confusion.

"We need your assistance. Come with me," he then looked up at his son, "Gladiolus back to work," he jerked his head in dismissal. Athenacia felt the large hands being taken from her shoulders as the older Amicitia began to turn his back. He stopped about halfway, looking at his eldest child critically, "On second thought, I think it's best you see this. Both of you, on me."

He didn't wait for a response, just started walking. Gladiolus and Athenacia were flanking his either side, her anxiety building up with each passing step. She was so engrossed in her own thoughts she didn't even notice that they were there already. This wasn't exactly a conference room, more like a central communications room. She recognized Pelna there and a couple other glaives she didn't know. There were monitors lined all up on the wall with different camera angles. The former Glaive knew this place, had been here before during her time in the war. Those monitors were of cameras on different Glaives. She could hear familiar voices coming out of the intercoms and she knew that they were in a skirmish. But why was she needed here?

"Cia?" Pelna looked over at her curiously.

She, however, was looking at Clarus for answers.

"The Glaive magic is suppressed," he said, "Scientia said that you devised this tactic. We need your special..." he glanced at his son briefly before continuing, "...talents to get rid of the inhibitors."

"But-"

"I know," he cut her off before she said too much, "Believe me Cor was as against it as you are. But you're the only one that can do this. We need you right now."

Athenacia gave him a helpless look. However being on the spot the way that she was she had no choice but to agree. He nodded at her as well before she turned her attention toward the monitors. Coming to sit beside Pelna, she put on a headset and assessed the situation. She could see where every Glaive was positioned as well as the perimeter where their magic was unusable. The Glaives were standing by, awaiting instruction while keeping any scouts from finding their position and giving them away. Athenacia released a large breath before she typed rapidly on the keyboard in front of her, studying the intelligence she had.

Gladiolus watched her, that look on her face the exact same as when she was in the hospital. He couldn't help but wonder why his father had brought him here and how he seemed to know about Athenacia. But her involvement with Cor sort of explained that. Either way, his eyes were glued to her as her mind worked. He knew she was a former Glaive but he never heard about what she could really do. She wouldn't be fighting but she was rumoured to have a brilliant mind as well. He was going to see first hand what exactly made her so special to them in the first place.

"Nyx, Luche, Crowe, do you copy?" she spoke finally.

"Cia?" Nyx's voice rang through.

"Is that you?!" asked Luche in disbelief.

"Do you copy?" her voice was much harder this time, commanding like she had done this before. And she had.

"Yes ma'am," all three of them answered in unison.

"Good. Listen carefully. Crowe I need you on the north side. Nyx, go east and Luche you're west. Stay out of sight until I tell you otherwise."

"On it," replied Crowe.

"You got it," agreed Luche.

"Good to hear you back," said Nyx.

"Don't get used to it," she said, her face still in thought, "Libertus."

"I thought you forgot about me," he spoke in mock sadness.

"Never," she gave a slight half smile for a split second, "Take the rest and go cause a ruckus directly south."

"Hang on, we're not actually taking order from this traitor are we?" an unrecognizable voice rang through.

"She'll get us all killed!" another cried.

"You'll do as your told soldier! Now get moving!" her voice was hard.

Gladiolus raised his eyebrows slightly, never seeing this side of her before. There was a likeness to her that resembled Cor's commanding presence. He really did train her, and well it seemed.

"Unless you want to answer to us," said Nyx darkly.

Gladiolus smirked. Athenacia really did have some friends left in the Glaive. She was still typing rapidly on the keyboard, constantly looking at different angles and screens. Pelna, who was beside her, made sure that she wasn't lagging in her streams. The Shield had no idea exactly what she was thinking but he was getting the idea. He remembered hearing it back in Noctis's apartment a while back. She didn't even want to get involved but no matter how much she ran she always did what she had to. He looked at her in a new light, understanding why his father had him here. Gladiolus could learn a thing or two from her field experience.

"Okay, Nyx, Luche, Crowe, you three are going to have no magic until you take out the suppressors. One at a time you'll go in. Follow my every direction and if it gets too bad abort and leave, do _not_ risk your life unnecessarily. Do you understand me?"

"Yes ma'am," they answered.

"Nyx," she had an edge in her voice, "I mean it, no heroics."

He laughed at her, "You know me."

"That's exactly my point."

"He's not going to listen," said Pelna.

"I know, he's an idiot," she replied.

"I can still hear you," said Nyx.

"Good," the other two spoke.

Libertus and the others began their commotion. Athenacia waited, studying the monitors. She watched as the hoard of Niflheim forces started to make their way toward the trap. She wasn't foolish enough to think that they didn't know she was up to something. But by the time the figured out what it would be too late. It began with Crowe, having the young girl get in quietly on noiseless feet. Libertus was doing wonders but Athenacia turned off his communication. She focused solely on Crowe's, trying to pinpoint where the inhibitor was. The doctor remembered what they sounded like, having a slight advantage over everyone else since she wasn't entirely human. Clarus knew that, Cor knew that and that was why she was needed here. Her face was screwed up in concentration as she tried to pinpoint the sound.

Her eyes widened then. It was faint but she could still hear it. She directed Crowe through the proper channels and then had the woman take out the troopers there. She destroyed the one that she needed and Atheancia felt a weight lift off her shoulders. One down, two to go. Since she knew the sound she was listening for it was a lot easier to direct the other two and finally all the glaive magic was restored. Libertus brought the fight up from the south while the other three wreaked havoc on the weakened forces. Pelna cheered and Athenacia held a smile on her face as she took off the headset.

The doctor rose from her seat, turning around and seeing the proud look that Gladiolus was giving her. She shied away from it, flushing before remembering that his father was right there as well. Cor had also made an appearance, his face hard at the fact that he hadn't found her when he was looking. Athenacia straightened herself out, putting a hand on Pelna's shoulder briefly before walking toward the other three men. She just wanted to get out of there, starting to feel anxious at what was going on.

"Excellent work, Virum," Clarus praised her.

"Thank you sir," she replied.

He nodded, "Sorry to pull you out like that."

"It's no trouble sir," she assured him with a smile.

He returned it before looking between her and his son quickly, "Gladiolus, you're relieved for the night."

The younger man nodded at his father before he began to walk away. Athenacia turned toward Cor expectantly, wondering how he was going to ruin this. But instead, he just nodded at her, walking away with his friend. She was stunned, not expecting this turn of events at all. Gladiolus, however, took her hand and led her away from where they were. He brought her to the elevator, taking it up to the top floor and she remembered the roof though hadn't been there in ages. Her hand was still in his own, even as they stepped out and came toward the large aquarium that was there. She recalled the times she would spend up here in between her training or when she needed a moment. That seemed like such a lifetime ago.

He led her around the floor, only the two of them up here. It was nice, a moment that he wanted since he first laid eyes on her at the ball. Gladiolus looked down at her, taking her in again only this time with a smile. She blushed under his gaze, nervous for whatever reason. The way he was looking at her, she just wasn't ready for it. Her heart was racing as heat ran through her body.

"You know, you're pretty amazing too," he said.

She flushed further, "It was nothing," she tried to wave off, bringing her gaze to her feet.

His hand was on her bare should lightly, the other forcing her gaze back toward him by her chin gently. Gladiolus kissed her then and her mind went blank. Her arms came to wrap around him, pulling him closer. He kept his forehead against hers and they began to sway slightly. He was leading her and she was so caught up in the moment it took a while to notice that they were technically dancing.

"Thought you didn't dance?" she asked with a brow raised.

He smirked, "Anyone can spin in a slow circle."

She was about to make a smart comment, he could tell. But instead, he kissed her once more before pulling her body against his and continuing to sway to music that was only heard in their heads. The moment was perfect, even as the fireworks started up above them. They looked up, the lights reflecting off their faces before sharing another one of those long kisses.

...

Gladiolus opened the fridge, cracking his neck a little before grabbing a beer. He was in for the night, by himself thanks to the storm. Iris was staying with her friend, Jared home with his grandson and Clarus working late. The weather wasn't worth going outside anyway, a blizzard raging on. The Shield opened his beverage, tossed the cap in the garbage and took a long drink. He pulled out his phone, unlocking the screen and seeing that there were no new messages. Letting out a sigh, he was a little disappointed that he hadn't heard from Athenacia. She was working a double and the last time he saw her was the night of the ball. He knew she wasn't avoiding him, putting herself out there that night and making herself extremely vulnerable. She was busy with work, always agreeing to take those extra shifts that nobody wanted. She loved her job and he didn't want to take her away from that.

He kept his phone on the counter, taking another drink. At least, he was going to before the doorbell rang and completely distracted him. Eyes darted to the clock as he frowned, not expecting anyone to show up, especially so late. He left the kitchen, walking over to the entrance of his home. Who would come all the way here in this disaster anyway? No one was home nor were they going to be. But when Gladiolus opened the door he was shocked to see Athenacia standing there. She looked a little nervous, biting her lip as their eyes met. Her coat was overly large, pulled tightly about her. It was long as well but her legs were mostly bare aside from very thin black stockings and her feet in a very expensive pair of red stilettos. Her hair had a slight wave to it, as if she had put in a lot of effort into it and her make up was light but still made her stand out more so than usual. Those ruby lips were finally free of her bottom teeth as she looked up at him still shy.

"Hi," she said finally.

"Sup," he leaned against the door frame, holding his beer in his hand still and very clearly amused.

"Sorry I'm late for your party."

He smirked, "At least you made it."

She flushed, pushing past him and walking into the house without an invite. Athenacia stopped as soon as she was on the other side of the door, feeling her nerves get to her again. He noticed she smelled sweeter than usual, that hint of vanilla stronger than before. He had a brow raised as he looked at her, wondering what she was doing here. She turned to face him, looking around nervously.

"It's just me for the night," he said.

She relaxed her shoulders a little upon hearing that. Peering down the hall, she decided to just go for it. Her eyes looked around in wonder as she came into the main sitting room. The outside of this place looked huge but it was so much bigger inside. It was very intimidating and she thought about turning tail to run multiple times before she made it to the door. After she passed the overly large dining table there was a huge window taking up the entire wall that led to the yard. Three pink couches and a glass table were all placed neatly about on top of a very large and expensive looking area rug. There was a fireplace and mantle behind one of the couches on the left. It was roaring, keeping the place warm and the lights were dim which was oddly perfect. She saw stairs to her left as well, directly beside her and another doorway that led to who knew where. This place was a mansion no wonder he didn't feel the need to leave home. There was plenty of space for him to feel like he was on his own. She felt very timid right now but tried her best to focus.

Athenacia turned to face him, the curious look on his face only making this so much harder. There was no sense in losing her nerves now, she owed him. She came this far there was no point in retreating. At least no one would be walking in on them. She told him she was busy tonight on purpose, she wanted to surprise him. The first part was easy and she struggled with herself to keep at it. Especially when she was in the cab on the way over, very aware of her attire and the way the driver was looking at her. She wished she had her car because that was another moment she wanted to abort mission and go home. But she didn't, she was here. Athenacia wanted to do this, to show him that she wanted him in her life even if she was difficult at times. He fought so hard for her and the Six themselves only knew why.

"I'm a mess," she said. It was a start, "I'm emotionally damaged to the point that I'm all over the place. I don't handle stress very well at all which is very, painfully obvious," she took a breath, still nervous under his gaze, "I have trouble letting people get close to me, even if I like them a lot. When things go wrong I run away and I become a giant pain in the ass."

This was it, no turning back now. She opened her coat, letting it fall to the ground. He was mid drink when she did, choking a little while his eyes widened. She stood before him in a very lace red bra that was very see through. She wore matching underwear, the garter hugging her hips on top of it and latching onto those stockings. That scar on her neck was visible and the same ones he noticed a while back just below her abdomen. They looked like gunshots though he didn't ask. She was a former Glaive, after all, getting shot at was part of the job description. That was far from his mind, however, his mouth going dry as he drank in the sight of her. She was still apprehensive and he was utterly speechless at this point.

"But I'm _your_ pain in the ass," she finished.

As if breaking him from invisible bonds he tried and failed at putting his beer bottle down on the table beside him. It fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. Not that he cared, he was already making his way to her long before it even fell. He quickly scooped her into his arms, crashing his lips upon hers hungrily while leading her toward the larger couch that was behind her. His hands were all over that silky skin, so inviting. He lowered her down while still attached to her, only breaking apart so that she could undress him. Losing himself in everything that she was became simple, her cries of pleasure fueling him as he delved deeper. He took a moment to look at her, taking her in once more. That dreamy hazel stare he was faced with was exactly what he wanted to see. Because when she looked at him like that he knew that she meant every word she said, that she really was his and it made him feel like he was on top of the world. He kissed her again in a more passionate way before burying himself deep within her. The cry she let out was heavenly and it only grew more positive as the night went on.

The storm outside continued to rage its fury and inside they were none the wiser. They were in a world of their own, all their troubles gone while they explored the full depth of their feelings for each other even if they weren't spoken out loud. She struggled for breath, as did he when they were finished. He gazed into her eyes, giving her a chaste kiss this time. He was so enamoured with her, keeping a hand on her cheek as he held her close. She returned that same sort of look and he smiled at her. The two lovers shared a moment that only belonged to them. A moment that would last for always. A love like winter.

 _~*~ Fin ~*~_

...

thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this little mini story. I have an alternate ending for it that I might throw out, but I will definitely be getting back to the main story to try and finish that off. thanks, guys!


	4. Love Like Winter: Alternate Ending

hey there! so this is the original ending I had for Love Like Winter but as I was finishing it off yesterday the other one popped into my head and I decided to go with that instead. so here is literally the last of this mini-series before I head back to the main. thanks so much for reading!

...

"Excellent work, Virum."

Clarus praised Athenacia for a job well done. She just led the Glaive through a practice that enabled them to destroy the magic suppressors and win this little fight. Gladiolus was there as well, Cor making his appearance at some point during the operation. She was standing in front of them, still shy but every bit the soldier she was trained as despite her current attire.

"Thank you, sir," she replied graciously.

He nodded, "Sorry to pull you out like that."

"It's no trouble sir," she assured him with a smile.

He returned it before looking between her and his son quickly, "Gladiolus, you're relieved for the night."

The younger man nodded at his father before he began to walk away. Athenacia turned toward Cor expectantly, wondering how he was going to ruin this for her. But instead, he just nodded at her, walking away with his friend. She was stunned, not expecting this turn of events at all. Gladiolus, however, took her hand and led her away from where they were. He brought her back to the ball, only they stopped at the coat check instead of going back inside. He nodded at her and she grabbed her coat, pulling it over her shoulders before the two of them left without another word to anyone. The festivities still echoed in the long corridors behind them but they didn't care. He had something else in mind and he only had a limited time to do it. And he was done sharing her with the rest of the city.

As they came back out into the crisp air the sky seemed to have cleared. Perfect. His car was pulled up and they both got inside, Athenacia turning up the heat more than she really needed to. He didn't understand why she was so cold all the time. She always felt so abnormally warm to him. Dropping the thought, he made his way out of the Citadel and down the bare streets of Insomnia. A giant weight lifted off of his shoulders now that no one else was looking at or for her. He stole glances at her, but her eyes were fixated out the window. Surely she was a little drunk thanks to the amount of champagne she consumed, but even still she commanded those Glaives like a professional and it made him admire her all the more for it. He reached out his hand, taking hers and causing her to smile shyly at him.

Had the night started off differently he would have asked her to be there with him. Gladiolus would have proudly shown her off to anyone while making it clear that she belonged to him only. Wouldn't have mattered if he was working or not because he would be watching and everyone knew that. But it wasn't like that at all. They weren't on speaking terms and it as up to him to repair the rift that she obviously couldn't. While he was content to just watch her for the night the sudden arrival with Cor had people speculating about her relationship. Then she was announced as a hero by the King himself which also had heads turning her direction. With the way she took his breath away, he knew that others would react in a similar manner, especially since he was nowhere to be seen with her. That made things look like she really was back on the market and Prompto decided that getting on his last nerve was the best course of action. He just couldn't believe that he had gotten not only Noctis involved but Ignis as well. Sure, it provoked the Shield into action but now she had other people trying to get on her good side and he was determined to remind her that there really weren't any better options. It was a little childish to be so possessive he knew, but he couldn't help himself when it came to her. It wasn't often anyone saw this side of her, himself included. Gladiolus squeezed her hand gently, loving how she just came with him without question. She always did, never complained about where he was dragging her next. Maybe he really had broken through some of those walls after all.

His silent musings were short as he pulled up to a very familiar spot. The smile on her face told him that she remembered exactly what this place was from the last time they saw each other. He got out of the car, quickly going to his trunk and grabbing what he needed. He heard her door close and frowned slightly. Again he forgot about her shoes in the snow. What was wrong with him? Athenacia smiled slightly at him, and he simply lifted her once again to stop her from getting frostbite on her feet. Her eyes were a little wild but he didn't give her much time to react. Actually, without her trailing behind him the walk was a lot quicker than usual. She was virtually weightless so it didn't really slow him down at all. He set her down gently once they arrived and she quickly set fire to their last one after he uncovered it. Grumbling a bit about the magic, he didn't do anything about it, just looked her over. She was probably cold in that outfit, obviously not made for the winter night. Setting the bag down, she helped him with what she could though her movements were limited in that dress and he was fine with what he had. He joined her on the blanket, wrapping it around her legs so that she was warm and not sitting a little too close to the fire.

"You're pretty amazing yourself you know," he said lightly.

She flushed, keeping her gaze on the dancing flames before her, "It was nothing, really."

"That was not nothing. You'll have to show me a thing or two one day."

Athenacia laughed, "You mean you don't know everything? Are you ill? What happened to your ego?"

He grinned at her, "You can see it later."

The wolfish smile he gave her and eyebrow raise made her flush further. He loved teasing her and would have continued had there not been other obligations he had to meet. Gladiolus wrapped an arm around her back, pulling her to him and bringing his lips to her ear.

"You ready?" he asked.

"For what?" she looked at him confused.

He smirked, bringing her down. Just as her head hit his chest the fireworks started. Her eyes widened in wonder, a smile spreading across her lips. Insomnia always had the best fireworks show, and she had been around most of the country to know that for sure. Athenacia let out a content sigh as his arms around her helped her stay warmer than she thought. She didn't know why she was always so cold but she was. Not that it mattered, she was watching fire in the sky while in the arms of a man she... well she wasn't sure how she felt about him but she knew she liked him a lot. She was such a mess when it came to feelings she tried to just ignore them and submerge herself in her work. But since he started chasing her down she began to slowly break out of her shell and see the world again. The one that was still there despite everything that happened to her, the good parts that she had forgotten about in her own misery.

Without warning, she moved so that she could kiss him soundly. He wasn't really expecting it but the way she clung to him made him think only about her. The wasted time they spend having hurt feelings at each other was going to be made up for. They both had a giant wall full of shit between them and their own emotions but the more they were around each other the easier it became to experience a vulnerability that they barely knew. Athenacia was still recovering from heartache, making her timid when it came to trusting anyone with such a powerful possession like her heart while he was never good at dealing with emotions period. Not his own anyway. She gave him that same look she had the last time they were here and it filled him so much affection for her. If they can bounce back from this let the world throw everything its got at them. He claimed her again, only this time he was a little more fierce.

Gladiolus undid the buttons of her coat, her hitched breath at his cold fingers on her bare skin causing her to break apart from him for a moment. But he pulled her close, making the gap between them disappear as his hand ran all over her body. He rolled them so that he was atop her, holding himself up while he took a moment to look at her. She had that same dreamy look in her hazel eyes, the one that drove him wild whenever he saw it. He kissed her again, knowing that those eyes were only for him and letting the last of his uncertainty die at this moment. She rolled her hips ever so slightly into him, but in a way that she grazed his most sensitive flesh and forced him to grunt. His hand started to make its way up her dress slowly and she shuddered beneath him. She wasn't cold anymore, instead filled from the core with a burning desire for the man above her. And she knew he felt the same way she did.

The fireworks still sounded above them, drowning out her cries after he buried himself deep within her. All the teasing and heartache gone in the moment that they were finally able to show each other the depths of their feelings. They were swept up in their own passion, everything around them disappearing so that it was only him and her. He caught her eye and held her gaze. She was still looking at him the same way as before and it nearly drove him over the edge. Her cries grew more urgent and he complied with her every wish. He would give her the world should she so desire it and he knew that she would never ask him for a thing. He held her gaze still, unable to look away. His thumb ran over her bottom lip a little rough before he let out a small growl and captured her lips once more.

She held him close while continued to fill her to the brim. But she did not break their connection, not any of them in any way. Her mind was on him only and she berated herself for the childish way she had acted. She let all her walls fall down, allowing him inside like he deserved. And she didn't regret it. She had to break apart and let out a thunderous cry as he finally gave her what she wanted. It echoed in the woods and died with the last of the fireworks. Her body was hit with wave after wave of pure bliss, her head in a complete haze after what he had just done to her. Her legs were numb, her body still feeling him within her walls until he too joined her shortly after. He was coated in a thick sweat, as was she but it was so rewarding. She found his gaze again, seeing the full force of how he felt about her in those amber eyes. Only he could ever make her feel the way that she did and she pulled him down for a chaste kiss.

Time stopped despite that they were still moving. The two lovers shared a moment that only belonged to them. A moment that would last for always. A love like winter.

...

thanks so much! back to the main story!


	5. Casino Night

hey there! so this chapter is the original idea i had to start Gladio and Cia's relationship. hope you enjoy it.

...

Athenacia flopped on her bed while heaving a heavy sigh. Another 16 hour shift done and a well deserved break for her. She'd have some time to relax before the hospital held its annual casino charity on the weekend. Because she was one of the senior attendings in the emergency department her presence was mandatory. She hated events like this, had managed to avoid the last one. But it happened every year and Gin frequently asked the young doctor to go. This year there was no excuse, all shifts covered for the event. It usually took place in the most luxurious hotel inside of the Crown City. It was all at the cost of the Crown, essentially a way for Insomnia to acknowledge the hard work of the citizens. But politics suggested it was a way for higher up to pat themselves on the back for throwing money away. She didn't care much for any of it but was never one to shy away from her job. At least it was an open bar, the only thing that might make this bearable.

She rolled herself into the blanket, getting herself comfortable before finally allowing herself to rest. Her mind was still active, thinking about the day she had. As much as she hated to admit it, her job was a little boring without Gladiolus randomly dropping by to ask her out. He seemed to finally get the message after she had that fight with him in the Citadel. She felt bad about lying to him the way that she did, knew it was wrong. He was just trying to be nice, making sure she was home safe that night that she was stabbed. Hell if she had never lied to him then she wouldn't have been attacked the way that she was. All because she was too stubborn to let him do something nice for her. She sighed, rolling over so face one of the windows. She supposed to owed him an apology for the way she had behaved. She supposed if she ever saw him again she would make sure did right by him, even if he didn't want to go out with her anymore.

The sun was beginning to set and she hadn't noticed that she ended up having a nap. It was a dreamless sleep, the very kind that she liked. She rubbed her eyes, going to grab her phone from her nightstand. Only she didn't have it there. Groaning lightly she threw the covers off of her and rolled herself lazily out of bed. Once her feet touched the ground she stood and began to search through her things that were scattered all over her room. She had really let everything go since she came back from her recovery but that didn't matter right now. She only made things worse trying to find her phone and never ended up doing so. This wasn't good, she was going to need that for work and to ignore people when they wanted her attention. She sighed, putting on a change of clothes and then heading out of her apartment.

She sighed, closing her door and locking it behind her before coming toward the elevator. She pushed the button, calling down the lift so she could get toward the garage. She waited patiently until finally one of them came to stop on her floor. Once the doors opened she was about to step through them but stopped in her tracks, gasping slightly while her eyes widened a bit. Gladiolus was in there, his arms crossed and a brow raised when he locked eyes with her. Her heart began to hammer in her chest, tearing her gaze away and keeping her head downcast as she stepped into it. She made herself small while standing on the opposite side of it. She saw that the button she needed was already pushed and bit her lip nervously.

Her breath was loud in her ears, her heart still thumping. The air was hard to breathe in here and she wished that she wasn't so nervous. Earlier she felt like an asshole for what she had done to him and now that all the anger had disappeared she was far too timid to speak with him. Of all times to run into him this was not the best place. She chanced a glance in his direction but he was still fixated on the wall before him. The elevator finally stopped and the door opened. Her eyes darted nervously toward him, and he glanced at her briefly as well. She bit her lip once more, looking down and he decided he was going to step through.

"Um."

Her body reacted before she could stop it. He stopped in the doorway, looking back at her curiously. Her face was burning red as she tried to form words. She was still having trouble looking at him, wishing that her confidence hadn't shattered right then and there. She opened her mouth to speak, bringing her gaze toward him. But as soon as she met his amber eyes the words fell out of her mind.

"I..."

She looked at him helplessly. He raised a brow and then she lost herself altogether. She pushed passed him, darting out of the elevator and through the door to the parking lot. She didn't stop until she reached her car, absolutely mortified at what just happened back there. She was trying to catch her breath, leaning on her car and putting her head into her palms. She tried to calm herself down, hating that she let this all happen in the first place. She wanted to apologize to him really, but she wasn't expecting to see him like that so soon. She sighed then, realizing that was probably her only chance to do it. She blew it. Well, she would just have to hope that she would run into him again somewhere. She was going to be ready for him next time, that she was sure of.

...

Gladiolus finished his noodles, leaning back in his seat and taking a look out the window. He went out for them this time, deciding he wanted a moment before coming home. He was thrown for a loop when he saw Athenacia in the elevator at Noctis' building the other day. It wasn't like he didn't know that she lived there, but it was still a shock to see her. He had calmed down after their fight in the Citadel, being short with everyone around him for a couple weeks including his sister and his father. No one knew why he was so upset and he didn't talk about it. But he thought about it a lot, the entire situation from the start to the finish. She had turned him down plenty of times since he met her and started asking her out. Ordinarily he would have given up but there as something about her that kept drawing him in.

Because she just refused to date Crownsguard. She wasn't saying no to him, only his profession. There was no reason to word it the way that she had, and whenever he used to go and bother her at work she never actually sent him away. Surprisingly she was starting to smile at him more even she knew that he was about to ask her out for that beer. He let his own smile play on his lips at the memories, his eyes distant. Even now he couldn't stop thinking about her and how she obviously wanted to say something to him back in that elevator.

He wasn't sure exactly what he should do. But logically he knew it was best to move on. It wasn't like he was so hard on girls that he only had to focus on just the one anyway. She didn't want to go out with him that was very clear after their fight. On top of that she hadn't gone out of her way to talk to him. He was sure that she could find him if she tried. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a vibration in his pocket. He frowned when he saw that it was another Crownsguard reaching out to him.

"Yeah?"

"Gladio. Are you interested in some extra work next week? We're short staffed," the person on the other end spoke.

"Sure. Send me the info."

He hung up abruptly after that, letting out a sigh. His phone buzzed again and he read over the job. He had a brow raised, not having done security in quite a while. At least it would be something easy to distract himself. He paid for his meal and then left the restaurant with a sigh. Just as he was leaving he caught sight of a familiar flash of hair. He looked over curiously and was surprised to see Athenacia walking down the street. He almost laughed out loud, watching as she shoved off into a fancy dress store without noticing him. Go figure, always when he was about to take his mind off of her she just popped into his life, almost like it was fate. Keeping a smirk on his face he walked toward his car without another look back.

...

The benefit was a lot busier than Gladiolus first anticipated. He showed up in his uniform as required since he was working it. It was for the hospital staff in the city, an annual event that took place in order to acknowledge the hard work these people did. Gladiolus knew about it, had worked it before but this year was different than the rest. It was far bigger than the last time he was there for one. And he was older so he saw things in a different light than before. His face was also known a lot better than it used to be and the fact that his father was here as well only made him stand out even more. King Regis was present as well, for the first time in years. It was good for the people, lifting their spirits especially in this dire time of the war.

He was there early enough to watch people come in and out, attempting to make note of who was who in case he needed to know later. He wasn't in a place where he was painfully obvious either. He could tell it was going to be a long night already just by the size of the room they were in. He took a quick look around before his eyes caught a flash of red off in the distance. It was familiar and he realized then and there that it was because he knew the person it belonged to. Gin, the pregnant charge nurse was positively aglow as she walked into the room. She was definitely proud of the child she was carrying, that much evident on her face while she greeted passerby's that seemed to know her.

But it wasn't really Gin that Gladiolus was looking at. Beside her stood Athenacia, with a soft sort of look in her hazel eyes. He felt his breath catch in his throat as his eyes rolled over her form from head down to toe. She was wearing a black dress, one that clung to her body in every way. The straps came over her shoulders but the plunging neckline went down just below her breasts. Though they were covered and held in place very firmly it wasn't trashy at all, in fact very elegant. The rest ran longer, coming down to the floor and flaring out behind her a bit. But there was large slit at her left side that ran all the way up to her mid thigh. Her heels were also black, high and strapped over her toes and ankle. She was also shimmering with a bracelet and matching necklace. Her hair was waved which made it hang at her chin instead of her shoulders but earrings dangled from her ear lobes, the second one replaced with a shining sapphire. Her make up was light but every bit accenting her features and managing to hide those dark circles that usually hung beneath her eyes. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was perfect.

She held a small smile as she nodded at a few of her other coworkers. He watched as she walked away with Gin and he noted that her dress was backless as well. He could see the scar from the wound she sustained in the city streets the night he walked her to work. Not that he was really looking at it with the way she was walking. What was she doing to him? Not that it made a difference, she hadn't even noticed that he was there. She went to the bar to grab a drink, champagne it looked like before she found her seat. She was basically hovering around Gin but others spoke to her as well and he found he was only looking at her the entire time. Someone bumped into him and he was broken out of his reverie. All of a sudden it was extremely hot in the room and he tried to focus on his job. His eyes kept drifting back toward her however and he decided that he needed to move to so that he couldn't see her anymore.

However it seemed no matter where he went she was always in view. Sometimes she would laugh, food being brought to all the tables while she continued to converse with everyone around her. She still hadn't noticed him and he was getting a little upset about it. But the meal was over and it was time for the King to make his appearance. Everyone was in attendance, mostly in awe that he had come all the way here. Gladiolus watched the look on her face as she brought her gaze toward King Regis. She was frowning in thought, almost like she was seeing something that no one else could. He pondered that a little before crossing his arms and looking over toward the podium. The speech was short and very well rehearsed. He was doing it mostly for moral support, to build them up because the people that worked in health care knew exactly the sort of toll the war took upon the city. They were the ones that patched all the Glaives back up and sent them to battle. They were the ones that sacrificed all hours of the day to be there for strangers they never knew and never would know. They were the people no one recognized, working behind the scenes so that everyone could live their lives without the troubles of the outside world. It was good of the King to come here and acknowledge that. It's what made him so well respected and other people were able to see that just by his efforts.

And then he was gone and benefit began. Tables were brought out for people to enjoy some gambling, all of it going toward the hospitals to further medical research. It was also then that Gladiolus was nearing his break. In the midst of the confusion he managed to actually loose Athenacia's whereabouts. Not because he had tried to either, she was hard to see and even with those heels she was still short. He got himself some water before coming around the tables to have a look at what they were doing. He had an hour and figured he could kill time while also trying to take his mind off the one doctor here he was supposed to be moving on from. That was also proving difficult, stopping as soon as he managed to find her again.

Athenacia had her legs crossed, the creamy skin visible thanks to the slit in her dress. She took a drink of her cocktail from the straw and the placed it down before smiling at the dealer. She was a little flushed and Gladiolus knew how much she had drunk before she even started eating. She could hold herself really well despite being so petite. She placed her bet and ended up winning, the three other people upset at that. Two of them left and that left an open seat available. Gladiolus was quick to snatch it, changing his money quickly. He met her gaze after that and noted that she bit her lip in an almost nervous manner before going to her freshly dealt cards. So she had no idea he was here, at least he got the jump on her this time.

They didn't speak though the man next to her was trying and failing at flirting with her. She knew what he was doing and she knew that Gladiolus was watching. She had a nice pile of chips next to her as did the other men. Gladiolus was starting to put in his own wins and that gained the attention of the rest of the table. He offered Athenacia a smug smile and she only smirked before having another drink brought to her. One of the patrons left and it was only the three of them left. Gladiolus quickly checked the time and noted he was running out of it. He wasn't exactly sure what he was doing besides trying to show off in front of her. Would have been easier if he was the one sitting next to her instead of his competition. Though in that dress everyone was the competition.

"What do you say?" the man next to her spoke.

She smiled at him, looking at her cards quick and then bringing her glass toward her mouth. She bit the straw before taking a drink and then placing her bet. The man raised his eyebrows and then the dealer turned toward Gladiolus. The Shield kept his peripherals on the actions of the two beside him before he placed his bet as well. The man next to her wasn't paying attention, not until the dealer announced that he was out of the game. Gladiolus held a smug smirk and Athenacia flushed a little when his eyes found her.

"Not so lucky," she said to the man next to her.

He rose from his seat, coming to stand right next to her. Gladiolus raised a brow when he saw the man graze her elbow and lean in close to whisper something in her ear. When he left she was flushed further, something crumpled in her hand. She tossed it on the table beside her chips, a small piece of paper and then grabbed her drink to finish it in one gulp. She sighed, trying to compose herself and Gladiolus smirked. So that was how it was.

"Hey," he called out to her.

She grabbed her fresh drink, looking over at him curiously.

"The only person you need to be looking at is me," he spoke.

She was not expecting that, but smiled slightly and placed the straw between her teeth again. She put her drink down and then looked over at him with her own sort of smug smirk. He wondered what she was up to.

"Mr. Amicitia," she began, "What exactly am I looking at?"

His smile grew, "The winner of the next round."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because I have to get back to work so I'm cleaning you out before I go."

She giggled at him, biting her lip in a nervous sort of manner and looked down shyly for a moment. He let that foolish grin take over his face, the one that always seemed to take over when he was around her. When she met his gaze again she had that light in her eyes that managed to trap him to her face. She tore her face away and nodded at the dealer, placing her bet and waiting. She took another drink, keeping a smirk on her face as she waited for him to make a move. He took a peek at his cards and then placed his bet. When the dealer was ready she declared Athenacia the winner. She winked at him, and the night continued.

He wanted to win but he found out that she was just playing around in the beginning. Now that she was trying to win she was doing so very well. He was shocked, not expecting this turn of events at all. No matter how good he was she was much better and enjoying watching his pile deplete. He knew there was no way he could make up for it before he had to get back to his shift, but he didn't want to leave here with absolutely nothing either. It was hard to get a read on her, and he knew that it must have been from when she was a combat medic. He watched as she grabbed yet another drink and was impressed with how well she was holding herself together.

"So?" she raised a brow at him.

Before she could answer, she slowly uncrossed her legs only to reverse them so the other was on top. She did it in such an agonizingly slow way he was unable to look away, still following that creamy skin all the way down toward her feet and then back up slowly to her face. He was finding it hard to breathe again. That light was shining her eyes still and he knew that she was completely aware of what she was doing to him. How did he manage to lose control of the situation so quickly? Was it starting to get hot in here again? He smirked at her, knowing that somehow he was going to win her over tonight.

"All in," he said, "And if I win I'm taking you out for that beer."

She smiled at him, laughing a little at that. The dealer was waiting patiently and Athenacia flushed a little at what was happening. Finally, she nodded at him, waiting for the hands to be dealt. Once they were there she looked at her cards quickly though didn't react like usual. The bets were placed and stakes on the table. Gladiolus was the one who issued them so he would be first to show his hand. And he was confident about it to, having played well. He won, he knew he had.

"You got it, Doc?" he smirked at her.

She kept her calm hazel stare up on his face. He was so happy that he managed to best her this time and she loved seeing it. It made something stir within her, something she hadn't felt in such a long time. She enjoyed toying with him the last hour, especially after her embarrassment the last time she saw him. The alcohol was definitely helping but also the fact that he still managed to approach her. That and the fact that he still wanted to go out with her. She smiled at him, taking a look at the cards and then she sighed in a rather dramatic way.

"You win," she said.

He clapped once loudly and she couldn't help but giggle at him. If she knew he was going to be that happy about taking her out then maybe she should have just given him the chance in the first place. She couldn't take her eyes off him. He rose from his seat and walked toward her, reaching dangerously close to her personal space as he grabbed for the paper that was given to her by the other man.

"You won't be needing this," he said, tossing it into one of her empty glasses that wasn't cleared yet.

He then placed his hand on her bare back, causing her to take in a sharp breath. She kept her eyes on his face while he grabbed her phone that was sitting in front of her. He put his own number in it, texting himself so that he had hers before putting it in her hands. She never left his gaze, her skin burning where he was gently touching her. He was painfully aware of the the effect he was having on her, and she couldn't take it anymore. He leaned in closer, his lips grazing her ear as he did so. He almost lost himself when her scent invaded his nostrils in a sort of hostile manner and made him light headed.

"See you soon."

He pulled away after that in order to marvel at his own work. She had a dreamy sort of look to her face, one that he hadn't seen before. It made him smirk, especially when she bit her lip once more. The alcohol on her breath was a clear indication of the source of her boldness tonight and he knew that going any further was not going to be fair to either of them. He eased off of her and she took that opportunity to stand on her own. She gave him one last glance with a shy smile and then began to walk away slowly. He held that smirk on his face still, looking down at her pile of chips and the cards that were face down. He picked them up curiously and then he frowned at what he was seeing. Her hand was far better than his, she could have won.

He looked up her in disbelief and she had just managed to turn to face him. She gave him a much more confident smirk this time at seeing what he was doing before she turned her back once more and continued to walk away. He was stuck watching her until she couldn't see her. She managed to put a sway in her hips that captured him completely and it took him a few moments even afterward to figure out where he was and what he was doing. He looked down at her winning hand again before slamming the cards on the table. The crooked grin reached his face at the thought of knowing she threw the game just to go out on a date with him. All in all, it wasn't a bad night to come out and do some extra work.

...

thanks guys! going to finish the main story now which is almost done!


	6. Original Insufficient Tension

hey there! so it's been quite an uneventful week of me trying to figure out what to do with myself now that the main story is finished. i'm currently editing and have up to 10 done (i know, slow going right?) i'll have up to 20 done by tomorrow i swear! but as i'm going through it its dawning on me how unfinished the story actually is. we're missing so many pieces like the Rock of Ravatogh, Cia's isolation, Gladio's first run in with the moogles and various other pieces I just couldn't fit inside. Not to mention alternate endings and scenarios that I originally had and then scrapped for what's up there now. And then I'm STILL toying with the idea of a stand alone prequel or just putting it here. so... basically I still have a lot of work to.

anyway, venting aside I'm going to start with this piece since it's already finished. This is the original scene from chapter 20 in the main story. I scrapped it completely as you may have noticed in the author's notes. I hated it even as I wrote it and I just could NOT let it stand after all the work I had poured into the story already. but... well here it is...

...

Gladiolus lied on the ground of the haven just outside of Galdin Quay. The other three men had retired to the tent already, leaving the Shield to his own thoughts. The fire was crackling beside him as he gazed up at the many stars, the sound of waves crashing on the beach in his ears. Prompto and Noctis wanted to sleep in the hotel room, but they were short funds, having to go do a few hunts. They also had a mission from a local reporter they had met named Dino. He was going to get them ferry tickets in exchange for their help. Gladiolus wasn't really a fan of Dino but if he could come through, then so be it. Whatever they needed in order to get to Altissia and get the Prince wed to the Oracle. Then he could get home and...

And do what exactly? The reality that his relationship was over weighed heavy on him. He let out a sigh, putting his hands behind his head as his amber gaze rolled over the millions of stars in his sight. The sky was so vast, he had never noticed before inside of the city. There was so much light pollution inside the Crown City that he couldn't see nearly as many stars. It stretched beyond his own sight, and he suddenly felt very small. It was an odd feeling, being the bigger person usually. All the tension and anger he had been holding onto the last few days dissipated and a calm took over him.

He smiled, thinking back to the beginning of that night. Chasing her around the park near her house, he wasn't expecting that. He remembered the smile from when she had saved that pregnant woman. The light in her eyes when she had treated Valentina during the code grey. He remembered the infant that needed the heart transplant, her victory diagnosing that, and intent look she had when stitching up him and his friends. Her scent, which was usually composed of lavender with a small hint of vanilla. The genuine happy look she bore whenever she looked at him. How easy it was to embarrass her. He remembered their first kiss, in the middle of a storm. A time that he assured her the past wasn't going to be an issue. He let out another sigh, his heart heavy. Now that his head was clear, he realized how much he truly missed her.

He was being a little insensitive. The thought of someone coming into his house and forcing him to leave made him mad. He couldn't imagine having to leave and never go back. He couldn't imagine growing up knowing that your home was gone, and that you were never going to see it again. Especially when you had no family to help you remember what that was like. She had never talked about it and he never pushed her. It probably wasn't easy, having never been able to depend on anyone before. He moved one of his hands, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. He kept the other arm underneath his head as he put the phone to his ear. The call connected, beginning to ring. On the third one she still hadn't answered. What time was it even? Would she answer at all? Was she working? What was he even doing? What would he say to her? He'd never been so unsure of himself before. The corners of his mouth tugged into a small smile. He really did like her. He was about to give up when the ringing stopped. He heard movement on the other end and then long exhale of breath into the microphone.

"Hello?" came the tired response of Athenacia.

"Hey Doc," replied Gladiolus, though it was uncertain and not his usual enthusiastic greeting.

"Gladio?" her voice made her sound completely exhausted. He felt a little guilty for waking her up, "What are..." she struggled for words, "Is everything okay?" her voice perked up instantly, slithering with worry.

"Yeah, everyone is fine..." he said instantly, not wanting to alarm her.

She breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay," her voice went back to being tired, though a little more awake than before.

There was a long pause. Gladiolus hesitated, not really sure how he was supposed to begin this conversation. He didn't even expect her to answer, completely unsure of where the two of them stood. He couldn't even go see her, being all the way in Galdin Quay while she was still in Insomnia.

"Gladio-"

"You were right," he blurted, cutting off whatever she was going to say.

"I was right?"

"Yeah... Everything just feels, small and insignificant... when you look up at the stars."

He felt anxiety in his stomach as he waited for her response. He took the phone from his ear just for a second to see that the call was still connected. The tension was so thick between then, he wasn't even sure anything would change by the end of this.

"Did you see any constellations?"

"I wouldn't know any."

"Ignis robbed me of one of my books, you could probably find something in there."

"I might look tomorrow."

Another long pause. He never had to second guess himself about these things, and it was eating him inside.

"How far did you guys get?" she asked, her voice still riddled with sleep in it.

"Gladin Quay. But there's no ferries running, so we can't set out yet. Camping just outside of it."

"No ferries? That's odd."

"Cease fire has them all docked in Altissia. One of the locals might help us out though."

"Be careful, the world outside of Insomnia is a much different place."

"You don't gotta worry about me, Doc."

She let out a small laugh, and it made him feel a little better. They were back to that awkward silence. Neither of them knew what to say to each other, after stewing on their own anger for as long as they did.

"You at work?" he asked.

"No I got home a little bit ago. Haven't been here in a while."

He grunted, wishing he could make some inappropriate joke. But he didn't want to chase her off, he was still unsure of himself with her responses.

"Listen, Doc..."

"Yeah?"

"Maybe..." he sighed, trying to form the words, "Maybe when I get back, we can come back to Galdin, you know just us. Then we can stop by Galahd, I've never been. Noct's not going to need me right away as a newlywed. We could... if you want to..."

He closed his eyes tightly, wishing he had done that better. He wasn't even sure why he suggested it, not like there was much he could do. But he had absolutely no idea what to say to her, and the constant doubt of himself only made things worse as he tried to focus. This wasn't the same as fighting and enemy, there was nothing physical to this. And as the silence on her end persisted the more nervous he felt. Until she finally answered him.

"I'd like that," she replied, coherent for the first time since they had started talking.

Gladiolus smiled, a warm feeling spreading through his body. That cut the tension between them completely. He began to tell her about their journey so far, about the car breaking down, the hunts they had taken on. Of Cid and Cindy in Hammerhead and the trip towards Gladin Quay. Of their search for hunter tags and the battles they had faced. And finally he landed on current events, purposely leaving out their encounter with the strange man that gave them a coin. He didn't want to worry her, or turn the mood south after reestablishing their communication.

They talked well into the night, laughing and purely enjoying the sound of the others voice. Everything went back to feeling normal between them, as if they hadn't been fighting. And that was what they both wanted, especially while they were apart from each other. Because he helped her break out of her shell and join the real world, and she grounded him, reminding him that he wasn't some sort of godsent. They complimented each other in a way that neither noticed until that compliment had disappeared. But now that it was back, all felt well within their world again.

"You make it to your bed this time?" he grinned.

"I did actually," she replied, all the sleep from her voice gone.

"Shocking."

"My couch is pretty comfy though."

"I like your bed better."

"It is quite nice."

"Be better if I was in it."

"Gladio!" she laughed.

His grin widened, as he imagined her face turning that usual beet red, "Don't deny it, Doc."

She giggled again, "I am a little chilly," she conceded.

He chuckled at her, noticing that the stars were starting to disappear from his vision, "Listen Doc, I gotta run, Iggy's going to wake up any minute."

"Yeah, I gotta head to work."

"I'll... talk to you later?"

"For sure."

He grinned again, "'Night Doc."

"Good morning, Gladio."

He kept the smile plastered on his face as he pulled his phone from his ear. He was about to hang up when she had pushed the button on her end. He closed his eyes, suddenly realizing how tired he was. He let his phone sit screen down on his chest as the sun began to peek its way over the horizon. It wasn't long after that he heard the tent open up, Ignis stepping out right on cue. Gladiolus didn't look at him. His eyes were still closed as he began to doze, hopefully getting a bit of sleep. Otherwise it was going to be a long day, but a good one at least.

...

i still hate this. but when i wrote it i had a different idea for Athenacia. was part of the beginning before she became who I wrote her to be. those chapter of course will eventually make their way here. thanks for reading!


	7. The Rock of Ravatogh

welcome! I've been very busy editing and tracking down a second set of eyes to help me along. I've got 50 chapters done! definitely, go have a read or re-read in Terminal State because there are a few minor changes so far. honestly probably so minor that they aren't even noticeable. anyway, here is the lost chapter that I never put in, the Rock of Ravatogh. Enjoy!

...

It was a good day for a drive. The sky was clear with the sun beating down on a perfect summer day. There was a nice breeze that blew through the air and provided a certain sort of relaxing atmosphere that only it could do. Cor drove with ease, the windows only open a crack so as not to disturb his passenger. Athenacia was reading beside him, her face focused and intent as it always was. Her level had advanced much higher than normal thanks to her undying thirst for learning medicine. She was only eight but understood a lot about common ailments that fluttered around the Crown City. When she was inside of a book nothing around her seemed to exist. The one currently in her lap she started when they left the motel earlier that morning and was nearly finished already. It was smaller than the last but she was a fast reader. He kept an eye on her while he continued his journey.

They were on his way to Lestallum though he took the long way for her sake. It was the first time she had ever left Insomnia and he wanted to make the experience as long as possible. A little hard for her to appreciate the countryside while her nose was in a book but when she was into something she didn't stop until she had her fill. Athenacia closed the book with a frown on her face, finishing it off and tossing it aside. Cor raised a brow at her, glancing over briefly before turning his attention back to the road. She brought a lock of her long, dirty blond hair up to her teeth and began to chew it. He sighed, reaching over and pulling it away. That was a bad habit she developed while in the orphanage and he was having trouble breaking her of it. She didn't react, still within her own thoughts. He was about to ask what she was thinking but she brought her gaze out the window and then her frown deepened.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing out in front of them.

"The Rock of Ravatogh," he answered.

"Huh."

Her eyes narrowed and she winced at a pain she seemed to be feeling in her head. He caught her rubbing her forehead in his peripherals, her eyes glued to the volcano in front of them. She shut her eyes tightly for a moment and Cor kept watch on her as best he could while driving. When she opened her eyes again she was still staring at it, still in deep thought.

"You okay, kid?" he asked.

"Just a headache," she answered.

Cor didn't respond but he was sure it was more than that. She groaned in discomfort here and there while they were still coming up to the giant mountain and she still didn't take her eyes off it unless she had to close them. Glancing at her, he tried to get a read on her while she was still within her own thoughts. Even at her age she had an amazing mind and unique way of processing things. He was curious as to what she was thinking right now.

"I've never been outside the city, right?" asked Athenacia suddenly.

"No."

"Hm."

"What is it?"

"It's just... I feel like I've been there before."

Cor kept his face neutral, "Oh yeah?"

She nodded, "Yeah..." she trailed absently.

"What else does it make you feel?"

"Um..." she thought hard about it, rubbing her forehead again, "Angry and scared."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I guess because it's really hot and I don't want to be stuck there. Does that make sense?"

Ordinarily, he would laugh but not this time. He caught her rubbing her head once more and internally sighed. Having her see the volcano in which the dormant astral was once buried was part of the reason he came this way. Three years ago she had detonated and he still didn't want to believe that she really was the Infernian. There really was no denying it anymore. Cor was hoping that maybe she could live a normal life but given how she was reacting to the Rock he knew what he had to do. If there was any hope of having her face her destiny then he was going to have to start training her. She had to know how to fight or else there would be no way for her to do so when the time came. He had to turn her into a warrior so that the rest of Eos had a chance of surviving. Probably best to get started while they were out.

"You never make sense to me, kid," he smiled at her.

Athenacia huffed, crossing her arms but still keeping her gaze on the Rock. He gave her a small nudge and she finally smiled back at him. Cor sped up so that they were out of sight from the volcano, keeping his eyes distant and his heart heavy at what would come to pass for this innocent girl beside him.

...

Athenacia kept picking at the fruit in front of her, trying to ignore the large hand on her thigh. She was trying to focus on the paper in front of her, one of the wanted bounties in the area. It was surprising that the one she was looking at had managed to make it this far out, but then the creature itself was able to move much faster than most. She studied the pitiful drawing of the monster despite her attention waning. Actually, she was trying not to be bothered by her distraction in the first place but it wasn't working, especially when the hand moved a little too close to where it shouldn't be right now. Her cheeks were flushed while trying to avoid any eye contact with Prompto, Ignis or Iris while they spoke.

They were sitting at a table in Old Lestallum, waiting for the Prince to grace them with their presence. It was the day after they had stormed an Imperial base and Athenacia had a run in with the Chancellor. It was the first time she had seen him since she found out that he was the one chasing her this entire time around the country since the fall of Insomnia. Instead of getting any answers she was only faced with more questions, including ones she had never wondered before like the fate of her mother. He had given her a strange necklace with some words scribbled on them but until she met up with Cor none of that was going to make sense to her. Not like she could really think about that right now anyway. The hand on her thigh was still caressing her in such a slow and agonizing way. She was nearly mortified at it, hating that she couldn't do anything. Because every time she tried to move it, she was countered with it going closer to a place she'd rather it didn't be here in public. What was worse is that Gladiolus was doing it on purpose, knowing that it was bothering her. He was punishing her. Earlier in the day the two of them were sharing a very intimate moment against her truck, only to be interrupted by Prompto. She wasn't exactly sympathetic to his annoyance but she still didn't see why she was the one being punished for it. It's not like she was the one that stopped them, she was almost ready to go with him out of sight somewhere so they could be alone.

"Anyone else catch that giant smoking mountain on the way here?" asked Prompto.

"That's the Rock of Ravatogh," answered Iris, "I'm like, 90 percent sure."

"Not a hundred?" Gladiolus teased, raising a brow.

"She's right though," Athenacia spoke, looking off into the direction it was, "It is the Rock of Ravatogh."

"Is it really?" asked Prompto.

"Indeed," replied Ignis, "Legend has it that the Rock is the final resting place of the Infernian."

"Jared's notebook did mention that," said Iris.

Athenacia kept her eyes distant, recalling all she knew about the mountain. She hadn't the chance to read the notebook yet but she was sure she would whenever they got to Caem.

"So he's dead to huh?" asked Prompto.

"He was killed by Shiva," said Athenacia, her voice as gone as her eyes were, "After he turned on his own people and was labelled the Betrayer."

Her fist tightened in her lap, her face contorting into a scowl. She closed her eyes as images came to her head of a fiery nightmare. It was one she often had when near the Rock, ever since she was a child and had first seen it. They were hazy but always there. She was sure it was just a side effect of the residing magic there but sometimes she wasn't so sure. Not like there was any explanation as to why they came to her in the first place.

"You okay Doc?"

Athenacia snapped her attention to Gladiolus, not even noticing him squeeze her thigh in order to get her it while caught up in her own thoughts. Ignis was looking at her curiously as well and she flushed slightly. She looked back at the man beside her who had ceased his teasing of her for the moment, allowing her to release the tension in her body.

"Yeah," she forced a smile.

...

A long journey later and Athenacia found herself at the top of the lighthouse alone in Caem. It was another one of those clear sunny mornings and she was happy that it wasn't cold. She had Jared's notebook with her, was reading it before the ordeal she just went through. Not only had they managed to kick their way through the Malmalam Thicket but Gladiolus had gone to take on the Blademaster, Noctis and the other three acquired Mythril and she was revealed to the four of them as the true monster she and Cor had been hiding, the bastard daughter of the Emperor. Surprisingly they didn't turn their backs on her, not even Gladiolus who not only insisted they stay together but declared his love for her. She smiled absently as she thought about it, her eyes going back to the book in front of her.

The old man, Jared, had acquired a lot of information in his lifetime. Athenacia was sad that he wasn't here to explain further the things she was reading about the Rock of Ravatogh. According to this the Infernian was disturbed in his slumber and sealed away, again by Shiva. She couldn't recall anything she had read or researched on the manner. Generally, she didn't look much into astrals, was more concerned with things she could actually see and touch. Cauthess was always somewhere in her travels and the presence of Titan always filled her with mixed emotions. And since she had never been outside of Lucis she never knew what the Glacian looked like. Cor had read to her all the legends while she grew up but there was more to the story that appeared to be missing. She wondered if there was any record of it anywhere, in an ancient civilization hidden away from the world.

"Yeah, I heard of it."

Athenacia looked down below her curiously. She saw the image of Cor down there on his phone, his voice carried up by the wind and unnatural hearing ability seemed to catch it. Her heart was heavy as she watched him, tears wishing to fill her eyes once more. After he had stood by her when the others found out about her father she ended up fighting with him in a drunken stupor. Awful things were said that she didn't mean, taking out all her hatred and pain on him. She finally pushed him away for good and the taste was still bitter. Of course, she had run away from him when he came into the house earlier. She wasn't ready to face him just yet after she had screwed up so badly.

"They're missing?"

Frowning, she couldn't help but wonder who he was talking to. She knew that Gladiolus and Noctis had stepped away but she was sure that they wouldn't go somewhere dangerous on their own. Not after the shit they had just gone through getting her out of yet another Imperial base.

"How dangerous?"

That perked up her interest. There was no way he was talking about the Prince and his Shield. He wouldn't be this calm if that were the case. He was still bound by his duty to them and wouldn't just sit around if he knew that they were in danger.

"I can't leave just yet. I've gotta deal with a brat."

She scoffed. Of course, she was always a brat according to him. Cor was right at the moment but whatever he was waiting for could happen any time now. Probably would help if she wasn't trying to avoid him.

"Something that big shouldn't be hard to track."

Athenacia raised a brow, knowing exactly what he was talking about now. Chewing her lip absently in thought, she watched as he hung up the phone and then went back to the lighthouse. Probably headed to the bottom of it since he was aware that she was hiding from him up here. She just wondered when he planned on "dealing" with her. or how. As far as she knew he said she was on her own now. Which meant that he likely wasn't going to be dealing with her anymore. She sighed heavily, hating that she was the reason this issue wasn't dealt with. If only there was something she could do to help matters along and fix one of her many mistakes.

...

Gladiolus arrived back at Caem with Noctis about mid-afternoon. He had a smug smile on his face though his charge didn't quite understand what he was so proud of. The Shield had dragged them away in the morning for what seemed like a silly errand and it took up most of the day. One day Noctis might understand but for now, he was clearly oblivious. Not that it mattered, the person that Gladiolus was looking for was not in the house.

"Wait," Gladiolus reached his hand out toward Noctis's shoulder.

"But-"

"I wanna find Cia first."

Noctis grunted, "Do what you gotta do."

They stowed their items away and the younger man walked into the house. Gladiolus figured the doctor would be up hiding at the top of the lighthouse like she usually was. He made his way over there, riding the elevator up almost impatiently. Once he reached the top he walked toward the nest she had made for herself but she wasn't there and he found that odd. Coming back down he continued into the house, wondering if maybe she was there instead. As he walked inside he was again faced with her not being there at all. The bathroom was vacant and it appeared that there was no sign of her anywhere.

"You guys see Cia?" he asked his friends that were sitting at the table.

"Not since she bolted away from the Marshal earlier," answered Prompto.

"Did you check the lighthouse?" asked Iris.

"She's not up there," answered Gladiolus.

"Sometimes she's at the dock."

"She won't go there if she's avoiding Cor."

"The Marshal left a short while ago," said Ignis.

"She wasn't with him?"

"No he was alone," answered Iris.

Gladiolus frowned, walking out the door and back to the lighthouse. He rode the elevator down this time but only found Cid and the boat, no one else. This was getting a little annoying. She was elusive as always but he figured after everything that happened she wouldn't still be hiding from him either. The Shield walked into the house and toward the storage area where she often kept her things. Most of it was there but her med bag and weapon were missing. He hadn't seen them in her nest either which mean that she had them with her, wherever she happened to be. A troubled look creased his face as he came back to the main room, all eyes on him once more.

"No luck?" asked Noctis.

"Curious," mused Ignis.

"You don't think..."

Prompto didn't finish that sentence. They didn't want to think that she once again was taken by their enemies. Caem wasn't exactly as hidden as they would have liked and it was slowly becoming common knowledge that Athenacia was an Imperial Princess and wanted back home by her father. But Iris didn't know that, nor did anyone else here. That was information that was best kept to themselves and why Prompto did not finish what he was saying.

"She has caused quite a commotion as of late," said Ignis.

"What is it?" asked Iris.

"Nevermind," said Gladiolus, "We'll figure it out."

Without even asking the other three men got up and joined him outside. Iris looked very confused but didn't bother to go with them, she knew that this didn't involve her and wasn't going to argue with her brother when it came to Athenacia. Gladiolus had his arms crossed over his chest, obviously disturbed by the fact that his girlfriend was not where he left her. After everything that happened, he really wasn't interested in another fight with the Empire to get her back but he certainly wasn't going to walk away either. Knowing who she was only meant that the danger around her was much more serious than before and it was also a fact that the others knew as well.

"There's no sign of her anywhere?" asked Prompto.

"No," replied Gladiolus, "But wherever she is, she's armed."

"And definitely not with Cor?" asked Noctis.

"What even happened there anyway?" Prompto thought out loud.

"Doesn't matter, she's not with him," said Gladiolus firmly.

"Perhaps she has gone out hunting," mused Ignis.

"Alone? And without telling anyone?"

"Or she just took off," shrugged Noctis, "Not like its the first time she tried to avoid us."

"That's true," agreed Prompto.

Gladiolus shook his head, "Her stuff is still here and she doesn't have a vehicle to move around fast enough."

"Indeed. If she truly was headed off the radar she would need to move with great haste," said Ignis.

The Shield frowned. Something about this didn't sit well with him. Why would she just take off like that? After all that happened between them last night? She opened herself up completely to him, told him everything about who she was and how she came to be here. He was sure she wasn't going to just up and leave after that, especially without taking all of her things. But if she did finding her would be extremely difficult. When she had gone into hiding after the Crown City fell even Cor couldn't find her. At least if he wasn't able to then neither were her enemies.

"She was last seen at the top of the lighthouse," said Ignis.

"Might as well look for clues," offered Prompto, beginning his trek in that direction.

The other three followed suit, riding the elevator to the top again. Gladiolus went to the nest that she had made for herself and looked for any sign that she was around. But all he found was Jared's notebook, open on the last page she must have been reading. He picked it up, looking at it curiously and wondering what she found so fascinating. A folded paper fell out of it and he caught it before it blew away in the wind. He frowned as he opened it, seeing that her writing was all over it. It was her own notes to go along with Jared's. Athenacia had pieces of things he was missing like the Vesperpool all neatly interacting with what he already had. She had been all over the country as a Glaive and the old man was a faithful Amicitia steward. It was easy for her to fill in the gaps that he didn't have. The large man sighed as his eyes came over it.

"Find something?" asked Ignis.

He carefully took the book from Gladiolus's hand and looked over at the page she inadvertently marked. He narrowed his eyes at it, noting how it was worn on the few pages she seemed to be fairly intent on.

"Curious..." he trailed.

"What's up specs?" asked Noctis.

"I believe I know where the good doctor has run off to."

"Yeah?"

"Indeed. The Rock of Ravatogh."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Prompto began to walk.

Gladiolus met the eyes of Ignis briefly before the book was placed back in her nest carefully. They went down the elevator and toward the parking lot where the Regalia was parked. As soon as they got down there Gladiolus noted that there was a light blue chocobo feather on his seat. Whether it was placed there on purpose or not he finally knew how she managed to get away without a vehicle. He remembered that the one she used last time had some accented feathers and probably called the same one. He just hoped that they found her before she got herself into trouble.

...

They arrived at Verinas Market not too far away from the mountain. The heat rose as they got closer, something very noticeable. What wasn't obvious was the presence fo the elusive doctor. They asked the tipster if the young woman happened by, but he hadn't seen her. That was concerning and since they weren't completely sure that she had come all this way then there was no sense in going to look up the mountain. They hadn't seen her on the road either but that wasn't exactly to be expected. No one knew when she left so she may even have not come this far just yet, she was only on a chocobo after all. Ignis went to ask other patrons while the younger two decided on eating while they were waiting. Gladiolus didn't have much on him for information but he was hoping that they could find something.

"Think she'll be okay?"

He was passing the camper van, looking for chocobo tracks. Two hunters rested there, heavily beaten it looked like. Paying them no mind, he kept his eyes on the ground.

"You saw the way she handled those spiracorns," the other hunter spoke.

"Yeah. Never seen a doctor move like that though," the first one replied.

That caught Gladiolus's attention. He stopped walking and cocked his head slightly, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Patched us up good though. Be dead without her."

"Or dead fighting her. Those chains just came out of nowhere."

"She was really something wasn't she?"

"You got that right. Flexible too, I'd like to-"

"Fellas," Gladiolus interrupted.

He most definitely did _not_ want to hear the end of that sentence. It worked, both men looking at the Shield curiously while he sat down at their table uninvited.

"Couldn't help but overhear," he continued and then held up his phone, "This the girl?"

It was a picture of Athenacia he pulled up. This was the most recent one he had, of her with her flaming hair smiling as she looked out into the ocean. Her hair was blowing in the wind but he managed to get this when it wasn't in her face just as the sun was beginning to kiss the horizon. That light in her eyes that he loved so much about her shining brightly while she appeared to be lost in thought. Whatever she was thinking about he didn't want to interrupt while he captured this moment. Then, of course, he teased her mercilessly about it afterward and enjoyed watching the smile on her face while he did so.

"Yeah that's her," confirmed one of the hunters.

"But her hair's different," said the other.

"You're sure?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Can't forget a face like that," the hunter nudged his partner with a grin.

Gladiolus swiped to the next picture, one of the two of them. This was something Iris had sneaked on them shortly after he had returned from the Tempering Grounds. The two of them were walking back from the lighthouse and Athenacia had managed to trip on something along the way. Gladiolus was quick to catch her, his arms around her shoulders while she was dipped down. That's when Iris managed to snap this with her phone at the perfect moment. Athenacia was in pure shock though her cheeks were flushed while Gladiolus looked down at her in near amusement. He remembered that moment, the night after he realized he was in love with her. It showed on his face though she had no idea given that she was embarrassed about nearly falling over in the first place.

"Take another look," said Gladiolus.

Immediately both hunters seemed very uncomfortable right now. It seemed to dawn on them that they were talking about the woman in a very disrespectful manner and the man before them was not happy about it. At least this information was not going to cost anything now that he had their full attention. The Shield smirked smugly, taking his phone and closing the screen before putting it back in his pocket. Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned back for more of a dramatic event while continuing to scrutinize his company.

"Look, man, we didn't-"

"Just tell me where she went," he cut the hunter off darkly.

Gladiolus listened to their tale of how they were hunting a bounty but was forced to retreat and ended up getting lost. Athenacia managed to track them down and save them from a couple spiracorns before patching them up and sending them back here with her chocobo. She was going to take their abandoned hunt which meant he now had a direction to go on. He didn't even bother to thank them before he got up and left now that he had everything he needed. Taking a look over at the mountain, he frowned in thought before wiping sweat from his forehead and going to find the others.

It wasn't hard to gather them up. Noctis and Prompto had managed to almost put themselves into a food coma with a disapproving gaze from Ignis. The Advisor didn't end up finding out anything but Gladiolus shared the information he had. It wasn't too much longer they had set out, hoping to find Athenacia before it got dark. It was evening and the Shield was impressed with how fast she could move. She'd probably be halfway up the mountain by now and they would be lucky to catch up to her at all. They drove to a closer spot on the mountain and then mounted chocobos to try and catch up to her. She was on foot thanks to her generosity in helping out the hunters. The only solace was that she was slower on foot than on a bird or driving. Gladiolus was getting a little uneasy about knowing that she was alone out there hunting the bounty she agreed to take over. What was she thinking?

But he was put to rest when they did catch up to her. Athenacia hadn't entered the mountain yet. Instead, she was on top of a large rock staring out into the distance. She was crouched down, almost as if she was waiting for something to happen. The four of them stopped and Gladiolus held out his arm to keep them from calling out to her. He knew that look on her face, had seen it before when she was deep in thought. Following her gaze, he wondering what exactly she was looking for. No, what she was tracking. She rose to her full height shortly after and it was then he knew that she was about to move.

"Hey Doc!" he yelled up at her.

"Yes?" she answered back without even turning toward them.

"There a reason you're all the way out here without telling someone?"

"Last I checked I wasn't a child."

"I ain't sayin' that."

"Then what's your point?"

"You're at the top of the snatch list, Princess, maybe you shouldn't be by yourself out in the open."

Athenacia turned toward them, jumping down from the rock effortlessly and landing on noiseless feet. She raised her brow at him, crossing her arms over her chest and clearly not impressed with what he had just said. Gladiolus noted that her long hair was braided but hanging at her back in order to stay out of her face. She had healed herself of whatever sort of damage done to her at the base, all except that giant bruise on her cheek given to her by Ardyn. Her braces were on her arms and thighs, wearing a black tank top and white shorts with brown boots on that covered more of her legs right up to her knees and her gauntlet was on as well. She was completely prepared for a fight with her weapon sheathed at her back and her med bag over top it like usual.

"Remember when I was off the grid and none of you, including the Empire, knew where I was?" she replied with an edge to her voice.

"Okay ladies, you're both pretty," Prompto jumped in before the fight continued.

"What are you doing out here anyway?" asked Noctis.

Athenacia sighed, turning back to the mountain, "It's personal."

"Unpersonalize it," said Gladiolus.

She snapped her head toward him, ready with a retort. However, it seemed that she wasn't going to deliver one the way that she wanted.

"You weren't really going to climb that thing... were you?" asked Prompto.

"Of course I was," she shrugged.

"By yourself?"

"Do you see anyone else around?"

"Dr. Virum," Ignis cut off yet another word from Gladiolus, "If I may, perhaps it would be best to utilize our services. For peace of mind."

She looked over at all of them. The way he spoke, she knew that it wasn't a suggestion and that the fact that they were here meant they were going to go with her anyway. If anything, she could use the help to speed things along. Sighing, she uncrossed her arms and gathered her thoughts.

"The monster terrorizing the skies is sort of my fault," she said.

"Your fault?" asked Noctis curiously.

"Yeah. Back in my early Glaive days myself, Crowe and Nyx came across the beast when it had just hatched. The mother was nowhere to be seen but we decided not to kill it despite its size. It didn't even look like it would get too big but because of that now it's a problem in these areas."

"And you feel obligated to remedy the situation," supplied Ignis.

She nodded, "Lots of hunters have had trouble with it. Those lives are on me. It's about time I finished what I started."

No one spoke. Not at first while they listened to her tale. The birds didn't seem to care at all about anything she was saying.

"I'm game," shrugged Gladiolus.

Athenacia met his gaze and then had no choice but to let out a little laugh. Figures he was up for it. The decision was fairly unanimous after that. Gladiolus scooped her up and had her ride with him on his bird while they continued their journey up toward the mountain. His proximity made her flush, especially with the way he decided to tease her on the way there. She was in front of him which was not ideal nor really her choice. Because his hands were on her she was forced to lead the bird on the right path and had to stay ahead in order to make sure that no one saw what he was doing. His lips came to tease her neck as well which was easy given the braid sort of kept it exposed. He was such a jerk. But as they came closer toward the mountain trail they dismounted the chocobos and she wished her hair was down so that she could hide her face right now. She did her best to compose herself and thanked the Six that no one was paying any attention to her.

"Well, it's an uphill climb," said Gladiolus.

"Looks pretty insurmountable to me," said Prompto.

Athenacia began the trek upward, already knowing that she was in for quite a journey. She just wished she didn't waste so much time with those hunters, wanting to have this done by nightfall. The beast was not up there just yet but was sure that it would return soon. If she was lucky it would come back to sleep before the night and she could take care of it quietly. Not that it mattered, she'd be lucky to get to the top before nighttime now with these guys trailing behind her. She was much faster alone. The heat had also increased but it didn't bother her at all.

"Just think about what's waiting at the top," Gladiolus tried to encourage the younger man.

"Let me guess: one aching back and two very sore feet," replied Prompto dryly.

Athenacia smiled at their banter, falling in step with the wayward Prince as it were.

"Like you couldn't use some meat on those legs of yours."

"They work for me."

If he thought Prompto was small then she could only imagine what he thought of her. She was even smaller than the gunman, abnormally small in fact. She knew why of course but felt it was unnecessary to share that piece of information with them. It was a very uphill climb and rocky though not steep thus far. The heat was definitely rising as they came higher though she wasn't really affected by it. She was wearing the least amount of clothes anyway, she felt bad for the boys all dressed leather. It wasn't like they expected to climb up this thing though. As they came higher they encountered their first round of creatures, saphytail. There were only two so she let the men deal with it since she wasn't really needed. It was a quick battle and they pressed onward without anymore issue.

"Little out of our comfort zone," mused Ignis.

"Why do I even leave my car seat?" whined Prompto.

The rock walls along them finally opened up a little and Athenacia could hear more monsters in the distance. She was in the lead, basically scouting ahead since she was better suited to the task than any of the others.

"Heads up," warned Gladiolus.

She didn't need to be told, stopping when she came across a couple of spiracorns fighting off some saphytails. Unsheathed her gladius from her back and attaching the armband to her wrist before taking a firm grip on it, she was ready. Noctis was first to initiate, followed closely by Ignis. Prompto stayed behind with his gun and Athenacia decided she would go where the other three men were not fighting. She took out the saphytail with ease before coming to another. The last spiracorn was charging at her and she launched herself into the air, slashing at its neck before she landed on her feet. Noctis finished it off with one of his warps and she blanched at the sight before turning to find something else to fight. As it turned out there was nothing left, nothing but a fork that is. The boys had decided to go left which only led them into another pit of saphytails.

"Come on, I got a date with a cup of noodles," said Gladiolus as they fought.

"Well excuse me then," said Athenacia dryly.

He grinned, catching her arm and pulling her from harm's way. She gave him a disdained look while he held her against him, blocking the attack that would have come to her unprotected back. Squirming out of his grasp to finish off the one on his nine, the fight was over. They continued on only to be faced with a slight problem. They were at a dead end and while Athenacia could clear that with no issue it became obvious that the others were not interested.

"Yeah! We reached the end," declared Prompto happily.

"Nice try. Let's double back and go the other way," said Gladiolus.

There was a groan from the younger man, knowing exactly what that meant. They came back down the pass only to ascend up more rocks and a bit of a higher incline. Athenacia kept going, trying not to think about how much further they possibly had to go. She let out her own little huff as the trail not only became much steeper but also was no longer rocks beneath her feet. They began and it wasn't long before the commentary started.

"Killer climb dude," groaned Prompto.

"It's killing me," agreed Noctis.

"Feeling a steep pain," said Ignis.

"One false step and you won't feel anything ever again," Gladiolus spoke.

Ever the beacon of reality he was. Athenacia was really starting to feel out of it about halfway up, noting how hard this really was. She couldn't blame them for complaining she was having trouble with it herself. Her weapon was sheathed in order to use her hands to help her up and it only got worse the higher up they got, she had to be very careful about her footing. Not like it helped, she managed to slip and was starting to fall very fast. She cursed, unable to steady herself at all. Just as she was reaching her arm to grab her weapon she was stopped abruptly by a large, sweaty hand on her wrist.

"You ain't gettin' away that easy," said Gladiolus.

"What about your noodles?" she smiled wryly, "Won't they get jealous?"

"Don't worry Doc, I made sure they knew you were coming."

She shook herself from his hand, pushing past him.

"What a gentleman," she rolled her eyes as she continued on.

Athenacia could almost see the top. At least, she hoped that's what she was seeing. The weight of her own body was tough on her and she had no idea how the rest of them were fairing since they were much bigger than she was. She exhaled deeply and kept going. There was no way she could stop now.

"I think my legs are gonna give," Prompto spoke her thoughts, "Don't even wanna think about how sore I'm going to be tomorrow."

But just as he was finished they finally reached some more solid ground. Athenacia breathed a sigh of relief but didn't stop. She didn't want to lose her momentum though she was a bit slower to allow them a small rest. She had an agenda and that window was closing quicker than she would have liked. They weren't straying too far behind and for that she was thankful. The rocky steep path was a breeze after what she had just gone through.

"The hell's with the heat?" Noctis grunted annoyed.

"As we climb so does the temperature," said Ignis.

"I'm no geologist but I'm pretty sure this is a volcano," said Prompto.

"It is," supplied Athenacia simply.

Prompto did not seem happy to hear that, "What are the chances of it erupting while we're here?!" he cried.

"Fairly high since the last one was hundreds of years ago."

"Dude!"

"Bright side, you won't suffer long if it does," replied Gladiolus.

She smirked at their banter, coming to have a look at the curious plant that Ignis had found. But it wasn't actually the plant she was interested in, something else had caught her eye. Along the rock wall above it was a flower she had never seen before and was sure only existed up here. There was little time to admire it before they left and continued to go higher. They came through another pass and managed to find a nice fork. One path was monsters, the other sweltering heat. Of course, the best way to go was to follow the creatures. She wasn't in charge here though despite this being her escapade in the first place.

"Noct, do us all a solid and choose the one that's not a dead end," advised Prompto.

They ended up going the way of the sweltering heat. There was a small chance that what she was looking for could have nested that way so she didn't argue. She was in the lead again and a quick look behind her told her exactly why. The four of them were practically melting with all the heat rising around them. She could only feel small beads of sweat at her hairline but otherwise was fine.

"We'd best make haste through the hot spots," cautioned Ignis.

"Any more of this and I'll melt!" cried Prompto.

As they climbed higher it became very obvious that they weren't alone.

"Hate bastards that fly," grumbled Gladiolus, summoning his sword.

He was referring to the thunderoc flying all around the path they had to walk. Noctis warped up to one of them and Athenacia launched her gladius into another, calling her spikes and gathering two more as she pulled them down to the ground. That at least enabled Gladiolus and Ignis to fight a little easier. The Prince was still in the air and Prompto had a long-range weapon already. They felled the birds with ease and then continued on their journey upward. Thankfully they didn't have to travel too far to come to another dead end.

"Now this is scenery," said Gladiolus.

"That looks like lava so we definitely don't want to go down there," said Prompto.

Athenacia came to look upon the scene for herself. Above her was what looked like a tunnel that allowed a nice steady stream of lava to flow all the way down to the hole she was standing over. The river of magma was going on without a care in the world to its own destination that she didn't know. She frowned as she watched it flow, feeling a chilly wind reach her. Her eyes widened then, noting that everything around her was grey. The voices of her companions were far away, her ears only filled with a sinister laugh. She turned to look for it, her heart thumping in her chest. But she was only met with a man, an evil one that was not laughing. His face was shrouded in shadow as he came to stand next to her, completely oblivious of her presence. He thrust his hands to the heavens, calling for something that wasn't actually there. The sky began to glow red, the clouds above swirling into a fiery inferno up above. Athenacia screamed as she heard the roar of a monster come to life from the lava pit below. The image of a daemon it looked like began to rise, the laugh turning into a wail as it reached out toward her. She let out another cry, shutting her eyes tightly and preparing for impact.

"Seen all there is to see here," said Gladiolus, bringing her out of her reverie.

Athenacia gasped lowly, startled at his voice all of a sudden. Her fists were clenched at her side and her breathing slow. No one had noticed that she was lost there for a second, all of it a vision of her nightmares. She hadn't one like that before but she was sure that she had seen it before. It was probably the residual magic left here from the Infernian's death, feeling the same thing whenever she was near Cauthess even now without Titan there.

"Doc?"

Gladiolus put an arm around her and she immediately slid away. Literally.

"You're drenched!" she cried.

"Well we are standing next to a river of lava," he raised a brow.

"Come to think of it, why aren't you sweating?" asked Prompto curiously.

It was an honest question since the four of them were glowing with how hot it was up here. But it wasn't really bothering her that much, only at the top of her head a little.

"It's not that bad," she shrugged, "I've always like heat."

"That explains a lot," said Noctis.

"Yup, totally makes sense now," agreed Prompto.

"What?" she frowned at them.

"Big guy's kind of a hot head."

"And you like heat so..." Noctis left it hanging.

She laughed when Gladiolus decided he was done listening to any of that sort of nonsense. Ignis just sighed in exasperation and Athenacia kept the smile on her face. Needless to say, the trek back down was a lot quicker than coming up despite the sweltering heat getting to them.

"Hey, this path looks promising!" said Prompto happily.

And he was right. They were no longer on the ground that had hot magma flowing beneath it and Athenacia actually breathed a sigh of relief. The sand was much cooler beneath her feet and they were surrounded by rock walls again. They kept going, the path steep still but not as bad as before. Athenacia had her weapon unsheathed still and gripped firmly as she managed to be scouting ahead of them again to find any threats along the road. Her ears were strained and her eyes kept to any sort of exit they might need should the creature she was hunting manage to catch them up here off guard.

"I'm burning up in here," whined Noctis.

"And I'm sweating buckets," grunted Gladiolus.

"Out of the frying pan..."

"And into the volcano," Prompto finished for Ignis.

"It's really not that bad," Athenacia called to them from where she stood.

"You were hatched here weren't you?"

She only laughed, continuing to lead them down the tail. They came down and that's when she stopped completely. Once they caught up with her they noted the threat before them, thunderoc and wyverns waiting in the pit below. Athenacia followed the pattern of the ones in the air, looking for her opening. They were basically waiting for her to move before they drew attention to themselves. She finally had it figured out, longer than usual which she internally cursed herself for. The gladius was launched, allowing the chain to come free and once it stuck firmly into a thunderoc she allowed her body to lift off the ground. The spikes came out and she moved so that she was getting everything she could on her way down before landing on noiseless feet. Noctis had also plunged into battle and the others weren't far behind him. The beasts were felled quicker than if she was alone and she was happy about that.

The sun was going down and she knew that her bounty would plant roots for the night. They would need to get somewhere safe for the night themselves and she knew that this wasn't the place for that. There was no way they were going to make it back down the mountain in time and truth be told she wasn't interested in starting that climb all over again. She internally sighed, looking over at the only place they could go on. They came to a rock wall and the only direction to go was up.

"Time to face the cliff head on," said Ignis.

"By 'face' you don't mean 'climb'?" groaned Prompto.

"You got a better way up the rock?" asked Gladiolus.

"Yup," replied Athenacia, "I am _not_ climbing this."

He looked over at her with a brow raised and she took a few steps back. She allowed her weapon to dangle slightly and then she began to wind it up. Her face was focused as she looked for the best spot and then launched it as high as it would go, sticking firmly into the rock face. Flicking her wrist, the chain retracted and her body started to lift off the ground.

"Bye boys," she smiled at them.

They watched, Gladiolus in amusement as she practically ran up the cliff while attached to her chain. Just as she was about to reach the top she grabbed her weapon, pushing her feet off and then flipping so that she was at the top. She looked down at them smugly, sitting down and waiting. She wasn't at the top but they could see that halfway up there was another ledge for them to at least catch their breath.

"Show off," Gladiolus muttered though with a smile on his face.

"That is the best idea you've had all day!" Noctis yelled at her.

He threw his own weapon up to where she was, warping there instantly and joining her up there.

"No fair!" Prompto called up after them.

They ignored him and Ignis was the first to begin his ascent. He was annoyed as well but knew there was really nothing he could do about it. Gladiolus followed next and Prompto begrudgingly brought up the rear. When the three men were about halfway up Athenacia felt better about it and decided to once again launch herself up to the very top. Noctis wasn't far behind her and she sat there with him waiting. Once she saw them all safely reach the first ledge she decided to go scout the area. The stars were starting to make their appearance and she wanted to make sure that they would be safe for the night. As she came toward the only path available to her before it split off she ended up finding a haven. Perfect.

Athenacia had a look at the scenery, trying to figure out where her next move was. Straining her ears, she knew that there were beasts not too far away from where she was standing. As more stars came into the sky she knew that they were definitely grounded here for the night. Footsteps sounded behnid her, noting that it was only Noctis. She opened her mouth to ask about the others.

"They're almost up here," he said, stopping her.

She nodded, going back to her musings.

"I never got a chance to tell you," he began, clearly uncomfortable, "That no one really cares where you came from."

She scoffed, having avoided the conversation as much as she could.

"Even though my purpose in life is to kill you?" she raised a brow, smirking and crossing her arms over her chest.

"You can try," he laughed, "But somehow I doubt you'll really bother."

"Not my style."

"You'd have your hands full with Gladio anyway."

"He's not that tough."

"Don't let him hear you say that."

Athenacia laughed, both of them did. She bit her lip nervously, keeping her gaze down. Some of the tension she felt around him seemed to melt away and she was happy about that. The bounty was just another way for her to avoid the situation entirely and she was actually shocked he was coming up here with her in the first place. She just assumed it was a favour to Gladiolus but despite the heat, he appeared to be actually enjoying himself. Sighing, a small smile played on her lips. The mood came down again and she was lost in her own thoughts once more.

"What are you going to do now?" he asked.

"Woo! Finally a spot to rest," said Prompto, out of breath and interrupting anything she was about to say.

The Royals turned, seeing the gunman sprawled out like a starfish on the ground and breathing heavily. Ignis seemed to a little less composed than usual and Gladiolus wiped sweat from his forehead as he came to the haven. He looked up at her and she met his gaze with a smile on her face.

"What took you so long?" Athenacia asked innocently.

He grinned, "Gimme a hug," he replied, coming at her with arms outstretched.

"No!"

Her voice carried over the empty air and she immediately ducked behind Noctis, grabbing his jacket and using him as a shield to keep the larger man away from her. Needless to say, he was not happy about being forced in between them nor being dragged around the entire campsite. He was having trouble getting himself free of her grasp, shocked at the death grip she had upon him. Finally, he just phased out of it and she gasped when she was left defenceless. Gladiolus engulfed her in his massive arms and she screamed her protests and disgust, echoing into the uncaring night as she did so.

Later on that night the fire was going though it was low because of the heat already in the volcano. Athenacia was still unhappy about being covered in Gladiolus's sweat and they were patiently waiting for Ignis to be done the triage she was doing on him. In the meantime they were hungry and the Shield was swiftly taking care of that. She ignored him completely though, keeping her back to him as he worked. Ignis wasn't too bad and she patched him up quickly before turning to her next patient. Prompto wasn't in too much of the action so he was fine with just a potion. Noctis was much the same way, his magic taking its course thanks to the break that they had waiting for the others to climb the rock wall. Gladiolus was next though he seemed to be otherwise occupied. Turns out he was making noodles and she crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry I guess you two want to be alone," she said.

Athenacia didn't even give him a chance to respond but did note that he tried to swat at her before she walked away. She sat in her seat then, deciding he could wait until after she ate since he obviously wasn't in dire need of care. Releasing a breath, she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes briefly before letting them fall over the starry sky above her. The sound of footsteps interrupted her and she brought her gaze toward them, Prompto coming over to bring her a cup. She forced a smile and he looked at her a little weirdly before he sat down beside her. Noctis was on her other side and she felt a little strange being in the middle of the two of them. Looking down at her food she gave what she thought was an inaudible sigh.

"I hate noodles," she muttered under her breath before taking a bite.

But it seemed her comment didn't go unnoticed. Prompto looked over at her with horror.

"You hate noodles?!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

The girl flushed, "Yeah..." she answered in a small voice, looking down at her lap.

"You hearing this big guy?"

Gladiolus shrugged, "I already knew."

Prompto looked at his friend like he had two heads. Gladiolus came to sit in front of her, leaning his bare back on her legs.

Noctis laughed, "Gladio must really like you. Anyone else would have been dumped pretty quickly."

"Anyone else sure," said Gladiolus casually, "But she's special."

Athenacia flushed further, refusing to raise her head at any of them. He moved to look at her, that grin on his face that she was accustomed to seeing. She smiled warmly at him, biting her lip nervously before he tore his gaze away. His shirt was off and she was faced with his tattoo that was absolutely loving the moisture of his skin. Skin that was pressed up against her and still beading his sweat all over her. She shuddered in disgust.

"You do realize there's a seat just over there?" she pointed out to him.

"Sure Doc," he replied, "But then I can't do this."

He rubbed his bare back all over her legs, causing her to squeal unhappily.

"Gladio!" she seethed at him.

The doctor was only met with his laughter as he continued to slide across her skin. She groaned in frustration, pulling her chair back which caused him to almost fall backward. He caught himself on his elbow, not even managing to spill his food while continuing to chuckle despite how angry she seemed to be at him.

"You're so _gross_!" she whined.

"Can't handle all this manliness around you?" he raised a brow smugly.

"Handle this!"

She dumped her noodles on top of his head, leaving the cup there before pointedly going into the tent and ignoring his laughter.

"Thin ice big guy," warned Prompto.

"She likes it," replied Gladiolus arrogantly.

"I do not!" they heard her shout from inside the tent.

That only caused him to laugh harder and an outward groan of exasperation came from the rest of them. Athenacia did not come out of the tent, not even when dinner was ready.

...

The night progressed and eventually the boys were making their way into the tent. Gladiolus cleaned himself up as best he could but until he got a proper bath he knew it wasn't going to be all that great. He was at least able to get the food out of his hair and off his body however the sweat would stay as long as they were up in this volcano. He was the first one to retire to bed, having not seen the young doctor since she went inside there to avoid him. Using the torch from his shirt was the only way to ensure he didn't step on her while coming inside. Turns out she was dozing and while he found that a little odd, the stiffness in his shoulder reminded him that they didn't sleep much last night. She was all the way at the edge, taking up as little space as she possibly could. A small smile came to his face at seeing her all curled up before she turned her back on him when he ran the light over he face. He came to lay right beside her, reaching his hand to her hip before letting it run slowly over toward her navel and pulling her against him. That scent invaded his nostrils and he placed a kiss on the top of her head before burying his face in her hair.

Athenacia stirred, her eyes opening lazily and noting the new weight upon her hip. She smiled when she noted the outline of the large arm there and the less sweaty chest she was pressed up against. Though he was like a furnace and she was sure she was going to start sweating herself if she stayed like this. Rolling over so that she was facing him, she couldn't help but notice that he winced when her hands came up his chest near his ribs. Frowning, she poked at them again and gauged his reaction. It was then she remembered that she had never gotten to examine him and felt guilty about it. She placed both hands flat against him, closing her eyes and concentrating. Those golden lights stretched out of her palms and began to soothe his weariness, just as it always did for her patients. When she was sure it was over she let out a sigh, her eyes drooping and head falling heavier.

"Don't push yourself," he told her lightly.

The doctor smiled weakly before pulling him close and allowing his feeling to take over her body. His warmth always seeped into her core, much different than the heat of his body. She inhaled his scent, of smoke and sweat and let it intoxicate her which caused her to sigh contently. His arm came back around her, his hand absently toying with her braid. Others had come into the tent but she was sure that they didn't pay her any mind since she was on the end and hidden by the mountain of a man she was pressed up against. He chuckled lightly when he felt the rumbling of her stomach. That's right, she didn't eat after hiding herself away in here.

"Hungry?" he whispered to her.

"It's your fault," she said, her voice low as well.

"No one made you dump those noodles on my head," he reminded her.

"You know there's a cliff not too far away from here that I'm sure I can push you over."

He grinned, "Not unless you want a flying lesson."

"What?"

"It's you and me, Doc. If I go over the cliff you come with me."

"Absolutely not!" her voice was a much louder whisper than before.

He kissed her deeply then, surprising her and causing her to release a little squeal while against him. Her mind completely forgot everything around her, her arms going to pull him closer as she practically melted in his arms. She could only think of him and how he was holding her right now. Athenacia was reminded of the night previous and how he had blatantly told her that he was going to be here and that he loved her. He wasn't even deterred about her not reacting to that and it made a tear leave her eye. Even if she wasn't sure of the depth of her feelings for him, he was right about one thing: if he was going over a cliff she was surely coming after him without a second thought on the matter. When he pulled away she was breathing a little heavier, his hand on her cheek to hold her in place.

"Okay," she conceded.

Her eyes clouded over as she tried to make out his face in the dark. She was sure he was holding that loving look he often did whenever they shared moments like this. He ran his nose over hers before capturing her lips again, positively thrilled at the fact that she would follow him without question. His hand slithered down her body, pulling her as close as she could be and she was completely enamoured with him. A small moan escaped her and she wanted to go further but there was something nagging at the back of her mind.

"Not alone in here!"

It was Prompto's voice that broke her out of her reverie. Athenacia gasped, her cheeks burning and eyes widening before she buried herself in Gladiolus's chest. She was completely mortified at what just transpired here and the fact that the large man was laughing while holding her close was not helping her. If there was somewhere else to go she certainly would.

Athenacia was the first to wake up. For once it wasn't a nightmare that had her shaking awake but rather the large pool of sweat she was lying in. She cringed at it, grabbing her things so that they didn't get wet and then carefully got out of the tent that needed better ventilation. Breathing a sigh of relief, she found some water to clean herself up a little before having a look at the edge of the haven. So far it didn't look like anything was disturbed which meant that the beast was not here just yet. She frowned at that, hoping there were some clues as to whether or not it truly nested here or not. Maybe she could track it on one of its escapades. At least they had somewhere to stay until it came back.

She turned her head to see Ignis vacating the tent. Biting her lip and raising a brow at his untamed hair, she quickly turned her back so as not to react, the heat not agreeing with him either it seemed. Athenacia was still not sweating herself, none of it bothering her whatsoever. Her ears caught something and immediately she turned back to what she hoped was the nest of the beast. As the sun continued to rise so did the other occupants of the tent. Athenacia didn't move from her post, keeping her ears strained in order to hear anything that might indicate her hunt had returned. No one disturbed her, seeing the intent look on her face while her gaze was to the skies. That was only until breakfast was ready and she ate more than she ordinarily would thanks to the lack of food she had the night previous. When they were finished and ready to go, she led the way down the only path left to go.

"Watch your step kids," warned Gladiolus.

Like he was the oldest here or something.

"No room for slip ups, Noct!" Prompto teased.

"I'm not the clumsy one," the Prince retorted pointedly.

They continued walking, the path narrowing thanks to the rock walls that formed around them. It seemed that they were still faced with some obstacles and most of them were flying around. Athenacia smirked when Gladiolus groaned, summoning his sword. Noctis and Athenacia went to the air, forming a sort of pattern since they came in here. She launched her gladius and he assisted her with his warps, bringing the fight to the ground for the other men. The killer wasps and wyverns were not very happy about the intrusion to their habitat but they were in the way and had to be dealt with. Thankfully the group was well rested and it ended up being just a minor annoyance before they carried on. As they came back upward on their trek they found two more killer wasps.

"This is all you two," declared Gladiolus.

Must be annoyed if he wasn't even willing to fight. Not that it mattered, Athenacia was gone before the words left him, Noctis hot on her heels. She didn't even have to leave the ground, just let her weapon dig into her enemy before she pulled it back and it sliced the bug in two. She gave her own smug smirk to Gladiolus once it was back in her hand and he gave her a swift smack on her backside, causing her to blush. Plunging ahead to avoid another, Noctis finished his own kill. They came to a dead end, only one option presented before them.

"Nowhere left to climb," said Prompto, "Should we check out the area below?"

"I'm down if you are," said Gladiolus.

Athenacia began her descent quite easily, the ledge wasn't that far down after all. What she was faced with was the exact thing she was looking for. There was a nest here, and three large eggs in it. Noctis walked over toward them and she could have sworn she heard something in the distance. The Prince seemed oblivious as he was looking around, not really sure what they were doing here. Athenacia's eyes widened when her ears pinpointed exactly what she had been looking for.

"It's here," she spoke.

The large shadow that rose overhead only confirmed that. She looked up, her weapon gripped tightly and ready for a fight. But Noctis wasn't paying any attention and Prompto seemed to notice that.

"Noct there it is!" he cried, running over to the Prince.

"There what is?" asked Noctis before grunting.

Prompto had run over and effectively pulled the other man to the ground by his ankle, having fallen over himself.

"GIANT BIRD!" screamed the gunman, looking over his shoulder, "And its coming right at us!"

Athenacia had her eyes trained on it. She knew that she couldn't stop it from swooping in and both men were in the way.

"Get away from there!" Gladiolus bellowed from beside her, getting ready to do his duty.

"Let go!" Noctis tried to break himself free of Prompto's grasp.

"I can't!" the blond was in a state of shock.

Eventually, they had detached before trying and failing to get away but it was too late to make any moves. Gladiolus growled but Ignis was much faster than him.

"Get down!" shouted the bespectacled man.

He lunged forward, pulling Noctis down just as the bird was coming at them with its talons to defend its home. It narrowly missed, continuing to fly away despite the devastation it caused. Everyone had taken cover and when it was safe to do so took the chances of having another look.

"Seems we arrived at feeding time," mused Ignis, getting to his feet.

"We're not staying for the meal, are we?" Prompto was shaken as usual, pushing himself up.

"And it's circling in for another peck!" Gladiolus warned.

"We might not have a choice," said Noctis.

"Looks like its either him or us!"

The Shield kept his eyes on the large bird, noting in peripherals that both Noctis and Prompto were on their feet. The large bird was not going to fight this close to the eggs, that much the big man knew. He took a look around to make sure everything was okay but the noticed something very crucial.

"Where's Cia?!" he demanded.

The bird roared and their attention was immediately snapped to it. Gladiolus growled when he realized there was something there before that wasn't the first time.

"She didn't..." said Prompto in disbelief.

"It appears so," replied Ignis gravely.

The shine of the chain caught in the sun and at the end of it was Athenacia, letting it pull her up toward the tail feathers.

"What is she thinking?!" he gritted between his teeth, "Noct!"

"On it!"

The Prince waited until the bird was close enough and then warped so that he was hanging onto one of its talons. He reached for Athenacia and she graciously took his hand, allowing him to get her the rest of the way. She pointed to the body and he immediately knew that she was aiming for. Both of them had stuck weapons into the bird in order to keep themselves from being whipped around in the wind. She led him to the left wing, carefully as the bird was very unhappy about its passengers right now. Once they were in position she nodded at him. Immediately he summoned another sword and Athenacia forced her gladius into the bird as hard as they could. The creature screeched its displeasure, especially when the hook pulled out a lot of damaged muscle with it. But the plan had worked nonetheless, and it was headed downward instead of having the advantage of flying.

The problem was, they were going to have a crash landing it was probably best that the two of them weren't on the bird when that happened. Noctis grabbed hold of the doctor, running with her until he jumped off completely. They were very high in the air, free-falling alarmingly fast back toward the mountain. While he could easily just warp out he had to make sure that she wasn't going to plummet to her death. He was sure that Gladiolus would not forgive that one. She was already looking for her opening, her arm still within his grasp. thankfully it wasn't her weapon arm and she was able to throw her gladius back into one of those rock walls once they were low enough. He looked at her and she nodded at him, allowing him to warp to safety. The bird had gone down to the open area and she watched its descent, deciding there was something more she could do from where she was.

Athenacia flicked her wrist in order to get the chain to stabilize her body. Once she was flat foot against the nearby cliff she grabbed her weapon and then pushed off with all of her might, beginning yet another descent to the ground. But this time she wrapped her arms around herself, jerking her limbs and allowing the chains on her arms and legs to come to their full length. Limbs jerked again and the spikes that laid flat came to life and then she began to spiral. She was falling at a very fast pace and the bird cried out in pain as she finally met it in mid-air. Feathers began to fly and she followed it all the way to the ground, ripping away at it as much as she could before she was forced to retract the spikes. She landed on the creature briefly before pushing herself off and flipping in the air toward the solid earth of the volcano that was not going to kill her as suddenly as before. Gladiolus was the one to catch her, seeing already that she was going to botch her landing completely. She grunted when she felt his solid arms beneath her.

"You and I need to talk about that," he said angrily.

"Can we do it when the rooms not spinning?" she asked, very dizzy at her earlier actions.

That wasn't a lie, her face almost green while she held her head. He lowered her gently to the ground and kept a hand on her arm in order to steady her when he noted she was having trouble standing on her own feet.

"Sit the rest out, you've done enough," he instructed.

"Does that sound like me?" she replied.

The doctor used a potion on herself and immediately was able to see straight again. She shook free of his grasp, taking the braces off of her arms and legs before plunging back into the action. Thanks to the heavy damage she and Noctis had done the bird was unable to fly away, grounded to the spot it had landed. That didn't make it any less dangerous, however, the talons still razor sharp and another wing able to blow them away when needed. On top of that, the thing was able to poison them and Athenacia found herself more on the defensive keeping them going rather than doing any actual fighting. It was waning though, weakening with every strike it took and eventually the other wing was no longer able to harm them. That made it much easier for them to continue their hacking away and eventually it let out one last thunderous cry before falling over lifeless with a loud _crash_.

Athenacia breathed a sigh of relief as she let herself fall to the ground. She kept her knees up, her forearms resting on top of them with her weapon still held in her hand as she looked over at the creature. Breathing heavily, a large weight lifted off of her shoulders at knowing her mistake was not going to cost any more lives. Ignis was salvaging what he could for food and she couldn't help but smile at that. The other three had managed to make their way over to where she was sitting, weary on their own after that.

"You were going to take that thing on by yourself?!" cried Prompto in disbelief.

She shrugged, "I was petty sure it didn't get that big."

"Good thing we were here then," said Noctis.

"Thanks," she nodded, smiling up at him, "Oh!" she was on her feet in an instant, a little too quickly as the potion was starting to wear off. Athenacia grabbed his arm and started to pull him the opposite direction, "I saw something while we were flying you might want. Come on!"

"How did you see anything up there?" he asked incredulously.

She stopped, turning to face him, "You have to appreciate the little things," she told him seriously, "Even when you're on top of a monstrous flesh-eating bird, take the time to appreciate the view."

He openly gaped at her, trying to figure out if she was serious or not. She smiled, pulling him along in the direction she was headed. The other three men followed along and she eventually let go of the Prince. She led them up another path out of the way and on the edge of the mountain. It wasn't as long as the last one nor as steep but finally, they came to the very thing she was talking about. To their surprise, a royal tomb tucked away here.

"Score!" yelled Prompto happily.

"Nice," said Noctis, the two boys running up to it.

"Good eye," complimented Ignis as he walked by her.

Athenacia smiled, turning her back and having a look at the scenery before her. She let a calm come over her as the wind blew in her hair. She closed her eyes and let relief sweep over her before she let her eyes open up again. Gladiolus was watching her, his arms crossed even as the others had gone into the tomb. He came to stand beside her, looking out over Lucis from the vantage point they were at. He was still sweating but the breeze up here was cooling his skin. Scolding her for the reckless behaviour she had earlier came to mind, but as his eyes gazed over everything in front of him the tension left his shoulders. She was right, there always had to be time to appreciate the little things.

"Hell of a view," he said.

She shrugged, "Was better on top of the bird."

He sighed, putting an arm around her, "You're an idiot," he said.

"I didn't-"

"You did good," he cut off her retort, looking down at her and putting a finger to her lips, "But maybe next time you give me a little warning?"

It was her turn to sigh, her eyes glued to him while his finger still kept her quiet. She smiled slightly, nodding and he took his hand away, feeling better about the entire situation.

"Next time huh?" Athenacia inquired with a brow raised, "I doubt there's any more of those left."

"Next time you plan on being an idiot," he replied.

"No promises."

Gladiolus grinned, pulling her in for a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, the breeze hitting them at the perfect moment while they could enjoy the view from up here. Even if it was spent focusing on each other.

"Get a room!"

Prompto had once again come to interrupt them, causing Athenacia to flush. That only got worse when she saw that his camera was in his hands and she hoped that he hadn't snapped that. He was so good at getting her at the worst possible times.

"We had a tent," replied Gladiolus pointedly.

That was mortifying and she shoved her face into his chest in order to avoid anyone seeing her right now. She heard Ignis sigh one of his familiar exasperated ones while Noctis shoved his friend on the by. Gladiolus laughed, his body shaking while she was against it and holding her in place. If she could die of embarrassment she was sure she would have many times over by now.

...

Not surprisingly, the trip down was much quicker and happier than the journey up. Athenacia took the time to gather her braces that had scattered with the wind during the fight and then they were back down by mid-afternoon. The birds were scattered all around and Noctis had called more so that they could have an easier time getting back to the car. She was extremely happy that there were enough for all of them so that she didn't have to share again, almost excited to see the one that she managed to get on her way here. It wasn't long before they got to the car in which she bid her friend farewell and crammed into the back seat. She was thankful that she was small while being sandwiched between Noctis and Gladiolus. The drive back to Caem wouldn't be an abnormally long one but she still allowed herself to doze while resting on the massive arm of her boyfriend. When she did open her eyes here and there she smiled at the fact that he was reading yet another book. He ate through them almost as fast as she could and she couldn't stop herself from sneaking her tiny hand into his own. He absently squeezed her hand while still focused in front of him.

The lighthouse came into view and she decided it was probably best to wake herself up completely. They had been gone for an entire day and she a bit longer. There was no doubt going to be questions about their little escapade and she had to mentally prepare herself to be around people. Well, person. Athenacia was sure that Cor would wonder what they had gotten up to. Well, the others at least, he said that she was on her own from now on so there was no sense in him worrying about her. Chewing her lip in thought, feeling guilty at the fight she had with him before. The car stopped in the parking spot and she waited patiently for a moment to get out. She grabbed her things before coming to step out and then begin her trek back to the house.

Athenacia noticed that Noctis and Gladiolus took off a little ahead and she found that curious. But only briefly as she saw Cor looking at her with complete disapproval. She shrunk beneath that gaze, absently grabbing at her braid and bringing the end into her mouth. Her body froze when he began to walk toward her, his arms still crossed and a scowl on his face. There was no doubt that he knew where she just was, the others having a phone to let him know where they were. She gasped when he pulled the hair from her mouth, just like when she was younger. The chance to speak was not given to her, his back instantly before he walked away. Her heart sank and she kept going in the direction of the house, wishing she was quicker to act than that. She owed him an apology that was for sure but she had absolutely no idea how she was going to deliver one. The two of them were not good with emotions. Not like it mattered anyway she was distracted completely when she walked into the house.

Immediately Gladiolus had pulled her toward him, putting a hand over her mouth to silence her. Athenacia frowned at him but a quick jerk of his head had her eyes following and she understood completely what was happening right now. She nodded once and he removed his hand, turning his head slightly to have a look. Athenacia watched curiously, not caring that she was openly watching a scene that she probably had no business watching. Noctis was standing in front of Iris with a lovely wrapped bouquet behind his back. Athenacia raised her eyebrows, looking over at the large man questioningly for a moment before going back to the scene.

"Hey Iris," Noctis called for her.

"Oh, hey Noct! What's up?" she asked happily.

"Oh you know... nothing," he replied, obviously uncomfortable.

Athenacia smiled and Gladiolus turned his head to look once more. The Prince wasn't making a move and thus making things a little awkward. The doctor's smile grew, liking that she wasn't the only one that was easily embarrassed by this sort of thing.

"Noct has a little something he wants to give you," said Gladiolus, turning toward his sister.

"Wait, what?!" he looked at the Shield in alarm, "I do?"

Gladiolus nodded with a grin on his face, turning back around.

"Something from Noct?" Iris frowned, "For me?" she couldn't hide the excitement in her voice.

Obviously, the Prince was still in shock because he hesitated. He was waiting for something to happen that never was going to occur and that became increasingly more evident the longer he stood there awkwardly.

"Here," he sort of grumbled a bit.

He brought the bouquet from behind his back and then handed it delicately to the teen in front of him. Athenacia watched the young girl's eyes light up as her arms came to reach for the gift she was receiving. The doctor looked back at Gladiolus, the light smile on his face while listening to what was going on. She gave him a pointed look but he was ignoring her at the moment.

"It's beautiful!" cried Iris happily, "I love it Noct, you're so sweet!"

"I'd say you made her day buddy," Gladiolus chimed in smugly.

"Yeah. All's well that ends well I guess," replied Noctis, running a hand through his hair nervously.

Athenacia, however, was not nearly as happy as the other girl was. She grabbed Gladiolus by the arm, dragging him outside so that no one had to hear what she had to say to him. As soon as the door was closed she let him go and then turned to him with a glare.

"You're mean," she said flatly.

"What?" he asked, feigning innocently.

"You're a mean older brother."

"Me?"

"You're mean. He's engaged."

"It makes her happy."

"How little you understand of women," she replied dryly.

"Understand enough to keep you don't I?"

"Don't push it!"

"Is this just because I didn't pick you any?" he raised a brow.

She blushed, sputtering before she finally found her words.

"That is completely beside the point!" she said hotly.

Athenacia growled before crossing her arms and turning her back to him. He still held that smug smirk, reaching for her and then placing something in her hair where the braid began. His other hand came to rest in front of her, arm resting on her shoulder and she gasped. There in his hand was a volcanic flower, one that only bloomed in the early morning. Her eyes softened as she looked at it, fixated while her own hand came absently to reach for it. She took it, holding it by the stem in her hand gingerly with a smile on her face.

"I could never forget about you, Doc," his voice was light in her ear.

She let out another gasp, leaning into him as his other arm pulled her against him. His hand grazed her shoulder, his fingers travelling lightly until they were at her hands that were still gentle holding the flower in front of her. Her gaze came to him and he was so in love with that light in her eyes right now. Completely drawn to her he began to lean into her, ready to claim those lips with that pensive hazel stare upon him the entire time. He was grazing her skin, his own desire just begging for her sweet taste. His efforts were greatly rewarded, a dreamy sort of sigh releasing from her while against him still. Athenacia was locked into his gaze as they came apart slowly and he noted that she was breathing a little heavier than before. He gave another smug sort of grin and that's when she seemed to wake up from her haze.

"This doesn't change anything," she said, pushing away from him.

"Okay," he kept the smirk on his face.

"You're still mean."

"Uh-huh."

She lacked the edge she once had but he was trying very hard not to laugh at her.

"Seriously, you're a terrible person."

"Sure, Doc."

She swatted at him and he could see she was putting all of her energy into not smiling at him anymore. Gladiolus watched her storm away to the house, the flower still clutched in her hand. Stopping to give him another pointed look, he only held that gentle smile on his face. He laughed as she flushed before groaning in frustration and disappearing from sight.

Athenacia didn't stop until she was in the bathroom, trying to keep the heat from her cheeks. She closed the door firmly and made sure that it was locked before coming to look at herself in the mirror. The first thing she saw was the large contusion left to her by Ardyn the other night and she sighed. Running her fingers over it, she winced slightly before tearing her gaze away and looking down. A smile came to her lips again as her eyes found the flower in her hand. She placed it down gently, keeping her focus on it, reaching behind her to pull the tie from her hair. She carefully began to undo the braid only to find something that wasn't there before at the top of it. Frowning curiously she reached for it and then let out a small laugh. There was another flower, somehow placed there and she didn't notice. This one was different from the first, one of her favourites that Gladiolus happened to see while they were up in the Rock. The petals were almost rose looking, completely purple and barely open with pink at the top of it. She didn't even think that he noticed her admiring them and she was unable to stop smiling.

Despite all the grievances he seemed to cause her, he truly did go out of his way to make her feel special. Maybe one day she could come to love him just as much as he did her.

...

thanks, guys! so initially after this they would sleep a night and then chapter 66 would have happened. originally I was going to have this happen and then she gets snatched by the empire and all that stuff happens but because I took this out completely I had to do things differently. I cut it because obviously, it's very long but also because I didn't want it to reveal too much of the ending before I was ready to put that bombshell on you. anyway I'm going to get back to editing. see you next time!


	8. Best Kept Secret: Stage Two

Hey there! Here's one of those lost chapters I couldn't fit in the main story. Terminal State has been edited up to 100 but until I go through the new content I'm putting it on halt so that I can adjust accordingly with new information. There's also a new number called Twisted by Design which will entail the first 25 years of Athenacia's life and how it was for Cor to raise her. Give it a read if you like. Thanks so much for all your support!

...

Athenacia opened her eyes slowly, feeling more tired now than she did the night previous. Or day, whatever it happened to be in this endless night of the last six years. The only reason she even had a mind to keep track of the dates was simply because it made things easier for patient care. The last week, however, she had taken time off to spend with Gladiolus. As it turned out, there was a spawn of daemons that needed some special attention and she was a little sick of being stuck inside the city. She came back to work after a "sabbatical" and knew that he didn't want her devoting all of her time into it. So she tried to compromise by taking time off here and there. It was easy to tell when she needed a break. Gladiolus would become more agitated with her and then she would have to try and remember the last time she actually saw him. The routine she managed seemed to be working, they were fighting with each other about her job far less than they used to. Ignis was also thankful for the extra peace even though he was hardly home to begin with.

The doctor winced when she moved onto her back, still stiff from the hunting. A smile spread across her lips then, remembering the strenuous activities she and her boyfriend had gotten up to when they finally returned home before she fell asleep. Biting her lip, she turned her head to face Gladiolus's sleeping form. Soft snores still erupted from him, long brown hair covering some of his face while one of his arms was under his head. Some days she had no idea how she got so lucky, so enamoured with him she barely took notice of her own small hand reaching out to brush the stray hairs away. She flinched when he suddenly snatched her wrist, a reflex. Turning to look at her, she was met with his amber orbs.

"You just can't get enough of me, can you?" Gladiolus smirked down at her.

"Is that a problem?" she raised a brow.

He shrugged, "My other girlfriends might get jealous."

"Oh well, how rude of me to take time away from your alone time hands. Do they have names?"

"Listen you, keep talking like that and you won't get any of this."

"Suit yourself," she sighed, turning away from him.

Keeping the smirk on his face, he pulled at the blankets so that they were no longer covering her. Turns out that wasn't going to work this time, ignoring him completely as if nothing had ever happened. His eyes rolled over her naked form, the smile disappearing from his face once he came across the large cut across her back. It looked worse today than it did yesterday, given to her by the Tonberry that managed to sneak up on them once they cleared a daemon spawn point. The Shield should have been paying attention, remembering the scream that erupted from her lips once she was struck. Those little bastards were fierce but the two of them managed to slay it and he dressed the wound as best he could before coming back to Lestallum. Athenacia refused to go to the hospital, insisting that she could take care of it herself. Gladiolus was quick to remind her that she didn't have her magic, to which she pointedly told him she had been without it for years on her own. He was smart enough to know when to push her, especially when it came to medical decisions like this. Last night he was careful with her but right now the cut didn't look any better than before. If anything, it looked worse.

Gladiolus brought his hand to her skin, carefully running his finger along the edge of the wound. Purplish black colours tainted the fair skin around it, with the blood still looking fresh in the middle. It was deep, causing her more pain then she was letting on. Her body went rigid at his touch being so close to it, a dead give away she was being far too stubborn about the seriousness of it. The laceration travelled from beneath her left shoulder blade and all the way up diagonally to her right shoulder. Truth be told, she was lucky they brought so many curatives to keep them going. Things could have gone much worse.

"It's getting worse, Doc," his voice was soft, trying to mask his displeasure.

"They always look worse a couple days later. It's normal, it'll start to get better soon," she replied.

"You haven't even seen it."

"I can feel it."

"At least get it stitched up."

"It's fine," she insisted.

The large man grunted, deciding to drop it this time. Heaving a small sigh, Athenacia rolled over so that she was on her back and hiding the cut from him. A small hand came to his wrist, guiding his fingers so that they were resting on the unblemished skin on her left hip. The frown on his face met her eyes and she slowly moved her body so that it was against his beneath the sheets. Amber eyes didn't miss a single movement, completely trapped in her calm hazel stare. Those teeth sank right into her bottom lip and he instantly forgot all about daemon hunting with her. Running his hand his hand up that soft, creamy skin, his eyes drooped while her hot breath reached his face. Just as he was about to make contact with her, he stopped and pulled away so that he could look at her, a grin spreading across his lips.

"I already told you, Doc, you ain't gettin' any of this," he said.

She raised a brow at him and then smiled. It was a warning sign Gladiolus completely missed.

"Fine," she shrugged.

Athenacia began to untangle herself from him and the sheets, rolling so that she was out of bed and on her feet. The Shield kept his gaze on her the entire time, watching as she turned her back to him. This time he wasn't looking at her wound, but that mesmerizing sway in her hips as she slowly walked to the bathroom. Giving one last hair flip, she winked at him before disappearing inside and closing the door behind her. Gladiolus found he was still staring in the same direction with that crooked grin on his face. He was moving before he knew it, practically sprinting after her just as the water was being turned on. Catching himself, he chuckled lightly at how easily she was able to get whatever she wanted from him. No one in the world had more power over him than she did and he was perfectly content with that.

...

A few days later and Athenacia was back to her normal work schedule. The hallways of the hospital still managed to hold the ghosting presence of the late April Hunter and the young doctor sighed. While it had been a few months since she integrated herself into the Head of Emergency Medicine, the lingering doubts of whether or not April would approve still filled her with worry. There was no one else for the job, Dr. Hunter made that perfectly clear but some days were easier than others. Whenever Athenacia took a small leave of absence it always made it harder to come back and work with her staff. The position was still somewhat new and things ran differently under her care. At least Frankie and Gin were there to help her organize things. In fact, they were a little annoyed at the extra work given to them since Athenacia had gotten her promotion.

"Would you just hire an assistant?" asked Gin, dropping a large stack of files on the desk.

"Who needs assistants when I have fantastic charge nurses?" Athenacia smiled sweetly at the girl.

The ginger-haired woman groaned, "Seriously girl, we have enough work as it is."

"You think I don't? This isn't exactly a cushy desk job."

Gin was about to respond when a nurse knocked on the open door, coming in without waiting.

"Dr. Virum, there's a patient you need to see," she said, nearly out of breath.

"I'll be there shortly," replied the doctor, standing up.

"Aren't you even going to look at those files?" asked Gin incredulously.

"Later, I've got to get to pathology after I'm done with a few patients."

The resident nurse grumbled something but her boss simply ignored her as she rushed by. Dr. Virum wasn't kidding when she said that she wasn't doing a cushy desk job. Since taking the position it meant more patient care, managing other doctors on top of playing office politics. April must have really wanted to punish her for something if only Dr. Virum was qualified for the job. Sighing at the thought, she continued her work and scarcely noticed the time pass as she did so.

Rubbing her eyes when she finally got back to her office, she filtered through piles of files that she had Gin organize and double check. The nurse was right, she really did need an assistant but finding someone to trust was not easy. Dr. Virum had just let these people close to her, having more enter the small circle was stressful just at the thought. She flinched when she felt her back collide with the chair behind her, the leftover wound from her daemon hunting flaring up suddenly. Frowning, she knew that this shouldn't be acting up like that so far into the healing process. Perhaps getting some help with it would be in order by now. Heaving a sigh, she pushed herself to her feet, exiting the room and down the hall.

Once she entered the locker rooms she noted that it was completely devoid of human activity. Just how long had she been here? Shaking her head, she removed the lab coat and scrubs, twisting awkwardly around to look at her injury in the mirror. It looked far worse than when she first got it. Infection was beginning to run its course, the discolouration of her skin making that obvious. Pulling her shirt back on, she left to go storage room in order to get some intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics. Her steps stumbled, the exhaustion of her work finally catching up with her at the worst possible time like usual. Punching in the code for the door, she walked in and tried to focus on the bag she needed, only the words were jumbling together and dancing all around. A shape pain shot down her left arm and she let out a small cry, frantically grabbing onto anything she could in a poor attempt to stop herself from falling to the ground. She only succeeded in bringing the shelving down with her, issuing a loud _crash_ that she prayed someone else heard while she was trapped beneath the structure. Those were her last thoughts before she succumbed to the darkness that took over.

...

Gladiolus finished up his work and returned to Lestallum as quickly as he could. Lately, he and Athenacia hadn't seen much of each other, her being busy back at work and him finishing tasks of his own put on hold after she had taken some time off. Coming up to his room, he wasn't shocked to find that she wasn't there. Without a second thought, he stripped his clothes and collapsed on the bed with a grunt. Bringing one arm behind his head, the other hand held his phone up, looking through for any messages that might indicate when his girlfriend would be home. There was nothing, so he fired one off quickly before placing the phone on his chest and turning his gaze to the window. It wasn't long after that he was passed out.

A buzzing in his ears and motion on his chest caused him to wake up far sooner than he would have liked. Rubbing his eyes and sighing, he swatted at his phone and then turned over. He frowned when he saw the bed was still empty beside him, running a hand over the cool sheets. Glancing at the time on the alarm clock that rested on the bedside table made his frown deepen. Whether she was busy or not he was sure that she would have checked in by now. The screen on his phone lit up, gaining his attention. The Shield picked it up, unlocking it and saw that there was a missed call from Iris but nothing from Athenacia. Sighing, he rubbed his eyes again before pushing himself off the bed and gathering clothes off the floor and leaving the room. It had been a long time since he had to go and get her away from work and he thought that this sort of behaviour would have stopped. A back lapse isn't terrible he supposed but the exhaustion he felt at his own work made this more of an annoyance.

Once the Shield entered the building he saw that things were relatively quieter than usual. The path to the office he needed was well ingrained into his memory, having walked it plenty of times to do the exact thing he planned on doing now. The door was open, light still on but once he got into the room he was a little surprised to see that no one was in there. Files were piled all over the place, pens thrown around, it was obvious that Athenacia was not finished here yet. While she was a slob in her home life, Gladiolus was impressed with how particularly organized she was in the workplace. It was almost as if she were a different person here and in some ways that was true. Dr. Virum didn't hesitate when it came to patient care, much the same as the person she was before her first detonation - or so he was told. Leaving the room, he decided the best thing to do would be to have a nurse track her down.

"Frankie!" he called out to the charge nurse at the station.

"Gladio?" the young girl frowned behind her thick-rimmed glasses.

"Where's Cia?"

"I haven't seen her all shift."

"She's not answering her phone."

"That's pretty normal for her," she reached out, grabbing the arm of a passing nurse, "Page Dr. Virum."

The girl nodded, going to the phone. Gladiolus heard the voice over the speakers and then did the only thing he could, waited. Frankie went back to her work and that left the large man to keep looking around for Athenacia. Something just didn't sit right about this, checking his phone and seeing no response there from her. While scarcely responding to him was normal while she was at work, not being seen by a nurse in hours was definitely out of the ordinary. Deciding to place the call, he let out another sigh when it went to voicemail. There was no sense in leaving a message if she wasn't answering in the first place. Grumbling to himself, about an hour went by and still no sign of the doctor anywhere.

"Frankie," Gladiolus levelled her a glare once she returned to her post.

"She's still not here?" the nurse frowned.

"No."

"That's weird."

Biting her lip in thought, she issued another nurse to consistently page Dr. Virum. She then motioned her head for the large man to follow, starting with the office. Everything was the same as when Gladiolus was in there earlier. As they came out to the hallway there was someone else there they weren't expecting.

"Vi, have you seen Cia?" asked Frankie.

"Not since..." the older woman frowned, "You're telling me she hasn't left yet?"

"She never signed out and no one has seen her, she's obviously not at home," replied the nurse, gesturing to the angry man towering behind her.

"I'm assuming she hasn't answered her pages. I'll get people on it."

Frankie nodded and led Gladiolus away from the office. Just as they were passing through to the security office, a loud scream was heard echoing off the walls of the corridor.

"Someone help!"

Gladiolus moved on instinct, running to where the frantic nurse cried. Vi was in the room before him but that didn't stop the growl that erupted from his throat. Frankie gasped and the Shield lifted the shelving units that had fallen over in the storage room. Beneath them was an unconscious Athenacia, and the large man wasted no time getting to her.

"Doc!"

He pulled away the medicine that surrounded here but couldn't do much with the nurses coming in to block the way. Vi took charge with Frankie at her side. Gladiolus allowed himself to be pushed aside in order to make room for a gurney. It was as if time had stopped, amber eyes watching Athenacia's limp body get lifted off the ground and put onto the bed. Frankie was performing CPR and a doctor walked in, demanding answers that he wasn't getting. Athenacia was not breathing, her pulse dangerously low, she was crashing. And no one knew how long she had been in here by herself, buried and unconscious.

The sounds of her monitors were far away despite being right beside him. Gladiolus could only see her face, her unconscious face that was obscured by the nurses trying desperately to get air into her lungs. The scrub shirt she was wearing was cut in order to gain better access and the damage done to her by the falling shelves was obvious. Something caught his eyes as he observed her, something he should have mentioned as soon as he saw her. Athenacia's right shoulder was a very dark purple, looking almost black. So much for it healing on its own.

"Wait!" he stopped them from leaving the room, "She's got a cut on her back from fighting daemons."

"I'll keep that in mind," said her doctor, "Intubate her now."

Once the tube was placed in her throat she was wheeled out of sight. Gladiolus followed behind, all the way up to the intensive care unit. That made him uneasy, being kept out of the room and forced to watch three nurses and a doctor work on his girlfriend. A familiar tightness in his chest formed as he observed, hating that there was nothing he could do to help her. These were the types of situations where the only doctor he could trust was the one lying on the bed in need of care. Gripping his arms tight while they were crossed, a scowl occupied his features while his focus was solely on Athenacia. After what felt like an eternity, the attending nodded at Frankie and the extra nurse left the room. Vi came out as well and came to stand next to him.

"What happened?" asked Gladiolus, his eyes still glued to the patient.

"She had a stroke," replied Vi calmly, "She was on her way down and managed to pull the storage shelves with her."

He grunted, not liking the sounds of things. What could possibly cause her to have a stroke? He could only assume it was the festering wound on her back. Stupid, he knew he should have pushed her to get it looked at as soon as they got back to the city. Why was she so stubborn?

"You can go in now, she's stable," the nurse interrupted his thoughts.

"You're not going to do anything?" asked Gladiolus, watching the doctor leave only Frankie in the room.

"We can't move forward until Cor gets here. Frankie is calling him now."

"What does Cor have to do with anything?"

"He's her medical proxy. Since she's unconscious he's going to have to make the decisions for her-"

"Why can't I do it?" he cut her off.

"Because you're not listed."

"I'm her boyfriend-"

"But not her husband. Cor is the closest to next of kin we have for her."

"Who even knows where he is?! Or how long it'll take him to get here! In the meantime, you're sitting on your asses while she gets worse!"

"I'm sorry, Gladio, but there's nothing else we can do. I'm not even supposed to be discussing her condition with you but I am out of respect. We have to wait until Cor gets here."

Vi put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a small, sad smile. The Shield pulled away in disgust, marching into her room and ignoring the other charge nurse that also looked at him sympathetically. It wasn't the women he had a quarrel with, just the inability to do anything about Athenacia's condition. His heart broke while he looked at her. A tube was down her throat, breathing for her while she remained unconscious. Three bags of clear liquid hung and drained into her veins while a monitor beeped steadily. The screens meant nothing to him but there was something beside it was humming as well and he recognized it to be an EKG machine. Her body was covered in a hospital gown beneath the blankets, skin paler than usual. That abnormally warm temperature wasn't there like usual and he remembered the last time she felt so cold.

It was back in Illume when she had unleashed a power within herself no one knew about. Ardyn was there, provoking her by whispering in her ear. Once she realized what was going on that was when the bastard had stabbed her. Athenacia detonated after that and the combination of major blood loss caused her nearly to die in his arms. The look on her face when she closed her eyes for what he thought was the last time and the way her body felt like ice didn't sit well with him then and it certainly didn't now. Squeezing her hand, he pushed the images away and kept his focus on her face. That was how he stayed until resting his head and dozing.

...

The noises of other bodies in the room is initially what roused him. Lifting his head, he noted Frankie still in the room and Gin as well. Athenacia was still unconscious and the two women seemed to be discussing something quietly among themselves. They became silent as soon as they noticed he was awake.

"Don't stop on my account," grumbled Gladiolus, looking over at the patient.

"Actually it's good that you're awake," said Gin, "We needed some help cleaning up that laceration to her back."

The Shield nodded, rising from his seat and allowing the two women to take over. They lifted the blanket up and that's when he realized how exposed Athenacia really was in here, immediately closing the blinds in the room. As soon as the woman was carefully rolled to her side, Frankie gasped and Gin looked uneasy. Gladiolus moved so that he could see the cut and nearly cringed himself. Nearly her entire back was so deep purple that it appeared black, the wound itself still looking as fresh as the day she received it despite the blood inside coagulating and was dark as the night sky itself. He had never seen anything like this before but it was obvious that the nurses had some idea of what was going on right now.

"You don't think..." Frankie left it hanging.

"The results aren't back yet but it definitely looks like it," replied Gin gravely.

"What?" asked Gladiolus, looking between the two women.

Frankie bit her lip but Gin was the one to speak, "I'm sorry Gladio but we can't-"

"Just tell me," his voice was dangerously low.

"I would if I could trust me. But without Cor-"

"Screw Cor! Tell me what's going on with her!"

"She caught the daemon virus."

All three of them snapped their heads to the new voice that entered the room. The Immortal himself was standing there with an unreadable expression on his face, his eyes glued to the woman on the bed. Cor stepped into the room, the attending right behind him.

"Take her to the fifth floor," he instructed the nurses.

They complied, wasting no time in covering the patient back up and then carefully wheeling her out. The doctor followed and that just left Cor and Gladiolus in the room. The Shield was fuming at the very idea of Athenacia being forced into quarantine. His scowl turned to the other man, taking a defensive stance while his body shook with his own rage.

"What took you so long?" demanded Gladiolus.

"That is not your concern," replied Cor, fixing him a calm stare.

"It is when she's stuck without treatment because no one can get a hold of you!"

"You really want to pin this on me? Who took her out daemon hunting in the first place?" Cor's voice was still calm, even as the other man growled, "That wound should have been treated the second she got back to Lestallum. If you're looking to pick a fight, you're in the wrong place."

He turned his back and left, Gladiolus still angry at what was happening here and left with no choice but to follow Cor out of the room. Once they reached the fifth floor they were directed into the woman's room and left alone while she was still hooked up to monitors and unconscious. Gladiolus took his place at her bedside, hating how cold her skin was when he took her hand. These weren't the types of situations he was good with, needing to do more than just sit around and wait. Cor remained by the glass sliding doors, pulling the curtain closed.

"She was unconscious for four hours after she had a stroke," said Cor. There was a scowl on his face when he turned around, a fist clenched at his side, "The infection caused it, and in her weakened state spread further while she was trapped. She's in stage two of progression. They're going to apply the solvent that she helped develop in order to slow down the progress, but... It's unlikely that she'll get off the machines before..." he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Before she turns into a daemon," Gladiolus finished, keeping his gaze on her.

Cor nodded, unable to look at his daughter at the moment.

"Even if I was here, there's nothing that could have been done. Without her healing magic, her fate is sealed."

...

thanks guys! I'll have the next chapter up soon!


	9. Best Kept Secret: Lost Hope

welcome back! let's finish this up! thanks so much for reading and don't forget to have a look at Twisted by Design, something I'll be working on while finishing the editing of Terminal State and finishing up more of these lost chapters over here in this extra.

...

Two weeks passed and Athenacia was no better now than she was when she had first come into quarantine on the fifth floor. Machines still did most of her body functions for her while she remained unconscious, slowly getting worse thanks to the solvent pathology had developed with her help. Contracting the daemon virus was a death sentence. Everyone reacted the same way, only some had more time than others. Both Gladiolus and Cor insisted on keeping Athenacia alive until the very last minute, in the off chance that some sort of cure besides Oracle magic would surface. The young doctor believed in these people and Gladiolus knew that he should as well. Cor also had this kept quiet, admitting her under a false name so as not to put the hospital in a panic. Only three nurses and the attending knew about her condition and that was the way it was going to stay.

As the third week was coming to a close, Ignis finally took notice that something was amiss. The Shield was hardly home, spending all of his time in the hospital when he could while trying to delegate any of his responsibilities. Keeping quiet was key here, the fewer people that knew the better. Despite being blind, Ignis could actually see things in a much different way thanks to all the training he had undergone with Athenacia to utilize his senses. She was the best person for the job since hers were heightened thanks to the moogle DNA that flowed through her. So it came as no surprise that one night when both the Adviser and the Shield were actually in the house they shared at the same time, the younger man came forward.

"What is ailing Dr. Virum?" asked Ignis suddenly while Gladiolus was on his way out the door.

"Cia? She's fine," the big man shrugged.

"Do not play coy. Tell me the situation regarding the both of you."

"Seriously, everything's good."

"Dr. Virum has not been home in nearly a month. While that executes normal behaviour it unlike _you_ to allow it."

How could he possibly know that? The man was extremely perceptive and Gladiolus was foolish for thinking he could hide anything from him. A frown occupying his face, he turned to face his friend with a lump in his throat. Having the secret come out into the open just made it more real and that was the root of his reluctance to tell anyone - including his sister - that Athenacia was not only sick but also that it was terminal.

"Cia..." he sighed, "She... she caught the daemon virus."

Whatever Ignis was expecting, that wasn't it. Gladiolus watched as the man stiffened slightly before clenching his own fist and pointing his head downward.

"I see," the man's voice was low, barely audible, "If there's anything I can do..."

"Yeah..."

There seemed to be nothing else to say so the Shield turned his back and began to go down the foyer. The Shield didn't even notice the journey to the hospital, walking the familiar path and not stopping until he was by Athenacia's bedside. Cor wasn't there, the man having a harder time with all of this than anticipated. Her condition hadn't changed, her hand still cold as ice despite being under the blankets. It made his heart heavy, trying to warm her up even though it was fairly futile. The three charge nurses assigned to her came in at intervals of time but he hardly too notice. What killed him inside the most was knowing that he wouldn't get to say anything more to her before she passed. She wouldn't wake up again to allow anyone final words nor to offer her own. This was why he didn't want to tell anyone, because it made the truth stand right in front of him with nowhere to go.

Growling while trying to ignore the blow delivered by that knowledge. Tears stung the bottom of his eyes and he shot out of his seat. Unable to take it anymore, he left the room in a fury. Gladiolus didn't stop until he was well out of the city. Spending three weeks in the city definitely warranted a much needed break. Daemons were the perfect way to let go of some of his rage. The image of Athenacia's unconscious face hooked up to those machines with that tube down her throat to keep her breathing, obstructing her beautiful features. Swinging his massive sword with a roar, the tears, fears and anxieties he had been holding back the last three weeks finally let themselves go. More enemies came and Gladiolus kept going with no intentions of stopping.

It lasted for a week. The man hunted and slept outside, avoiding any sort of human contact while barely sleeping. He couldn't, seeing his girlfriend the way she was and knowing that was going to stay like that until the end. Memories washed over him of the last time they were actually together and she was able to speak to him. It didn't make anything any easier, only hurt him more which then fueled the anger that welled within him which was then released by the daemon hunting. Gladiolus knew he was neglecting responsibilities by selfishly dealing with his own personal needs. His phone was dead and he would have refused to talk to anyone had they bothered to try anyway. Staring into the flames of his fire he became lost in thought, trying desperately to think of anything but his losses. His parents were gone, his father died doing his sworn duty as always. Insomnia was still in ruins and Noctis was not among them either. There were only two people he really had left, Iris and Athenacia and soon only his sister would be there for him. A protector by nature and yet he hadn't been able to protect anything close to him, losing it at every turn in his life. Times like these, his girlfriend would remind him to stop being ridiculous. But she was the reason he was so distraught in the first place.

 _"I'm gonna head out for a couple days, got some work to do," he told her the night before she went back to work._

 _"So soon?" she frowned at him._

 _"You know what they say..."_

 _"Cephalodynia is contagious?"_

 _He blinked, "No, Doc, I don't know anyone that says that."_

 _"I do," she sniffed crossing her arms._

 _He laughed at the serious look on her face, bringing her close to kiss her. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip after he pulled away and he loved that he was still able to make her blush even after all of this time. It made it hard to leave her in the first place, but he would be back and wouldn't waste a single moment with her._

 _"Love you Doc," he whispered._

 _"I love you. Come back alive."_

The conversation he had face to face with her before all of this. Little did he know that it would be his last one. The risks of him leaving the city and fighting were always great and the two of them were always aware that he might not come back alive like she always wanted. It had never occurred to either of them that she would be the one that ended up leaving instead, all within the safety of the city. This wasn't fair, life was not fair to him and he hated every second of it. Gladiolus growled again, giving a hateful glare toward the fire while trying to suppress all he was feeling right now.

"Gladdy?"

A small voice called to him a very familiar one. Whether or not it was in his head didn't matter to him right now, perfectly content to ignore it. However, it called to him again, trying to gain his attention. He looked over, seeing Iris there looking down at him sadly. With the shadows of the flames reflecting off her face he was unable to see the blemished skin left over from years ago when Athenacia had detonated and Iris got caught in it. It would never heal, not without magic and the young woman was forced to live with it. Every day was a reminder of that particular failure, one to protect the two people most important in his life. This wasn't a good time for her to be here.

"Iris what are you doing here?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Obviously it didn't work, her face falling as soon as he was finished speaking. Iris wasn't going to back down that easily though, not even bothering to abandon her post.

"I... I wanted to see how you were doing," she replied.

"I'm fine," he grumbled, looking back at the fire, "Go home."

She looked uneasy before sighing and completely ignoring his instructions, taking a seat right beside him. Her head fell on his shoulder but he didn't move, thinking back to when they were younger. Some nights she would run to him and lie like this on the couch because she had a bad dream and their parents weren't around. It felt like just the two of them a lot when they were growing up even though that wasn't entirely true. Iris saw things in such a different light and Gladiolus admired her for it. He couldn't be prouder of her and wished that their parents could see how she grew up. Back then he felt like his father wasn't around much and at times he would resent that, but not Iris. His sister would faithfully help Jared make sure that the man was taken care of during his long work days. Gladiolus had come to understand it, loved his father despite how he felt about it, however, could never understand how Iris was so forgiving all the time. And now, she was all he had left.

"I miss them," said Iris absently.

Evidently she was thinking along the same lines as him and it only made him tenser. The fact that he wasn't there for her after the fall of the city weighed heavy on him and it hurt even more how understanding she was about it. There was nothing that could be done, his job as Shield ensuring that he would be swept away from his personal life. Gladiolus had come to embrace his duty at a young age but there were times that he wished it didn't interfere with his own wants and needs. Cor was right all those years ago in the Tempering Grounds, duty first, life second. The Shield wondered if his father or even Cor felt this way sometimes.

"Me to," said Gladiolus.

"Are you going to come home?"

"No."

"Don't you think you should be with her?"

"What difference would it make? I'm not a doctor and I ain't got healing magic. Does her no good for me to sit there."

"That's not true."

"You an expert?"

Iris sighed, "No. But Frankie was telling me that the EEG changes whenever someone she knows is in the room."

"You don't even know what that means," he scoffed, a fist tightening at his side.

"I do actually. An EEG measures her brain activity and according to the nurses it spikes when you're around."

"So what?"

"So it means she knows when you're there."

"It doesn't matter!" his voice rose, body still tense, "She ain't gonna wake up so being there doesn't make a difference!"

"Gladdy..."

Iris brought her head up, her brother's body vibrating in his rage. This was the first time in a month he had said out loud that Athenacia was going to die. And here he sat unable to stop it, completely useless. A small hand found its way to his shoulder but he kept his scowl on the dancing flames before him.

"That might be true," the choked sob in Iris's voice forced him to look at her, "But do you really think she wants to be alone for this?"

The tears falling down her face shone in the light of the fire. Unable to contain herself, she let her shoulders slump in defeat as she cried. Gladiolus put an arm around her, allowing her to sob into his shoulder while his gaze went back to the flames keeping them warm. Iris had lost as much as he had and she was handling it better than he ever could. She was right, he should be with Athenacia no matter how hard it was.

"I don't want to lose her either," whispered Iris in shaking breaths.

He didn't respond, not right away. It took a lot to gather his thoughts, trying to push away the last time he saw her but going there would only make it worse. Heaving a heavy sigh as his sister managed to pull herself together, he looked down at her and nodded.

"Let's go home."

...

Gladiolus returned to Lestallum with his sister but went home first. Just like before, his room felt completely empty and cold without Athenacia's presence and that weighed heavy on him. It would always feel like this now, nothing about that was going to change. Cleaning himself up quickly, he made his way out of the house and made a beeline for the hospital, his chest tightening when he was standing outside the room. The curtains were closed since she was here under a false name, no one wishing to take the chance of seeing her since it was a fairly popular floor. When he walked in he wasn't the only one there. Cor was standing off to the side as he often did and Gin was also checking in to monitor the patient's condition. The Marshal looked over at the younger man, nodding once before going back to his brooding.

Athenacia looked no different than last time. She was still hooked up to a bunch of machines, including the one that breathed for her, but her face was peaceful. Gin went to have a look at the wound and Gladiolus's heart sank as soon as she did. The skin that was once fair was now almost black, stretching from her back and coming closer to her heart and engulfing her left arm. It had only gotten far more so than he anticipated. She was running out of time and he wasted what little of it he had feeling sorry for himself. Athenacia once explained to him when the infectious miasma took over all the major organs it was a matter of minutes before the victim would turn into a daemon. That was when they had to put them down, easily able to monitor the course of it. From the looks of things, it wasn't going to be long before it was her turn.

Cautiously walking to her, he found that his mind was barely registering anything else around him. Gladiolus could only see her and nothing else, hardly noticing when he was seated and her cool skin within his own hands. She still felt like ice and it startled him every time. Gin finished up her work and then took a seat herself, letting out a sigh. Looking over at the ginger-haired woman, it was obvious she wasn't taking very good care of herself. All three nurses were devoted to caring for their friend and the Shield was happy that Athenacia wasn't alone this entire time.

"She doesn't have long, does she?" asked Gladiolus.

"No," Gin shook her head, her voice barely audible, "Two weeks if she's lucky."

"With no hope for a cure," said Cor, a fist clenched at his side.

"There's nothing more we can do. But she hasn't given up or she would have been gone already. Maybe if April were here..."

Gladiolus grunted, "She couldn't save herself."

The day April Hunter died was very vivid in his mind. It was a loss to everyone, not just the hospital. Vi, her sister, took it the hardest, followed by the woman on the bed right now. At least April had known her days were numbered but Athenacia was hit without warning, refusing to acknowledge a wound that should have been looked at the day she received it. Gladiolus blamed himself over the last week even though there was no way to change it.

"No, but she prolonged her life farther than anyone else, even managed to hide it until the final days. Between her and Cia I'm surprised there isn't an alternate cure," said Gin sadly.

"Two weeks huh?"

Gin nodded, "Only a miracle can save her. It's too bad there isn't any more magic in the world left, it's her only shot."

Cor looked over at the woman sharply, his eyes narrowing. Something about her words rubbed him the wrong way, like he was missing a vital piece of the puzzle. Bringing his gaze over to his daughter, he frowned in thought. Gladiolus caught it, wondering what the older man was doing.

"Keep her alive until I get back," said Cor suddenly.

No one was able to ask him what he meant, the man leaving the room instantly. Gladiolus and Gin shared a look before looking back at the spot the Marshal had vacated. Whatever Cor was up to, the Shield hoped it was worth spending the time away.

...

A week went by and Cor hadn't returned yet. Athenacia was never alone in her room though, always having at least one person with her. Gladiolus didn't even leave anymore, not trusting himself to stay away knowing how close the end was. Iris and Ignis made sure he was taken care of and Prompto made poor attempts to lighten up the mood. Frankie, Gin and Vi were all taking shifts, no days off in order to make sure that Athenacia was closely monitored. Talcott came by as much as possible and Gladiolus hoped that maybe she would react a little more with him there. The two of them were close when he was younger, none of that really changing after she disappeared for two years. Despite knowing otherwise, they were all hopeful that she would just wake up.

Nearly at the two week mark, Cor had finally come back to Lestallum. Gladiolus hadn't noticed him come in, dozing on the couch that was in the room he never left. That was fine, the older man not wanting to disturb him anyway. Athenacia was still alive and Cor went to have a look to see how far the infection had spread. He was aware that she was quoted two weeks and quickly realized how lucky that time frame was. She was fighting, had to be. It was the only way that she was able to survive this long and he couldn't help but be proud of her for that.

"You weren't kidding," said Aranea.

The dragoon knight was standing beside him, her voice in a hushed whisper. Aranea was aware of Athenacia's condition but had only been by once while Gladiolus was out for the week. The pilot set to her own mission to try and fix this at the insistence of Cor.

"How long?" she asked.

"Not long. Any second now," replied Cor.

"Shit."

Aranea was not happy to hear that at all. Cor placed his hand on top of Athenacia's head, rubbing his thumb along the pale skin. Leaving her was a risk, he knew that, but sometimes they had to be taken. Not going would have had him regretting that he didn't try every solution to the problem, especially since he was supposed to be taking care of her.

"There's nothing in Gralea?" he looked over at the other woman.

"Not a scrap of anything useful. They were more interested in harvesting the bastards instead of curing them," replied Aranea.

Cor nodded, "Then I hope this works."

"Hope what works?"

Gladiolus sat up, the sound of voices making it difficult for him to continue sleeping. Both of them looked over before Aranea stepped aside, allowing the big man to see exactly what they were talking about. There was a third person in there, one that hadn't said a word the entire time. It was easy to understand why, she was totally in shock. Red slits for eyes watering while dirty blond hair covered most of her face, Gladiolus was easily able to recognize Evangeline, Athenacia's mother. So this was where Cor had gone. What was he thinking?

"Moogle magic," answered Cor simply, crossing his arms.

The Shield stood up after he heard that. It was an interesting thought, moogle magic saving Athenacia once before back at the Temple of Illume. As to whether or not it would work on something like this, no one knew since it hadn't actually been done before. Spending time to work it out would be useless, however, since there wasn't the time to test out theories.

"You really think it'll work?" asked Gladiolus.

"It better," replied Evangeline, walking up to her daughter with tears in her eyes.

The sound of her voice stopped everyone from making any more moves. Carefully, the moogle removed the necklace from Athenacia's neck and held it firmly in her own hand. She then pulled out her own moogle charm and just like before, pushed them together so that they combined with a small audible _click_. Pushing the trinkets in her daughter's hand, Evangeline held it within her own before losing her eyes and focusing. Gladiolus kept his eyes intent on the scene, watching as an azure glow erupted from the necklaces beneath their hands. Slowly, it travelled so that it was engulfing Athenacia's body entirely. It was almost similar to how she looked before she was about to detonate, though this was far different.

Hope died with the glow, however, no change within the patient on the bed. Evangeline gave a small cry before she nearly collapsed, Cor steadying her by her shoulders. That tightness in the Shield's chest came back, worse than before at knowing there truly was no other way to do this. Letting his hopes rise was foolish and he knew that. Accepting her fate was easier for all of them. What was Cor thinking? The only cure for the daemon infection was either Oracle magic or magically Noctis returning and banishing the darkness from Eos. Even then there was no guarantee the patients would recover.

"It didn't work," said Gladiolus.

"It did," gritted Evangeline.

"She's still dying."

The moogle stood up straighter, sighing once she caught her breath. Her hand came to her daughter's, squeezing it while the charms were still inside of that weak grasp. Athenacia didn't react, that steady beep of her heart monitor still filling the room. It was a rhythm that Gladiolus had grown accustomed to, one he hardly took notice of while he was in here. Evangeline smiled sadly, keeping her gaze on the patient and the Shield waited for some more information as to why this woman was so confident about doing absolutely nothing.

"True, I was unable to cure the miasma, but the magic has it contained," the woman spoke softly.

"Contained?"

"That's right," said Cor, "I didn't have Aranea bring her here to try to cure it, I wanted it contained."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Evangeline looked over at the young man, that small smile still on her face. Gladiolus had a brow raised, not exactly happy about being kept out of the loop like this. If there was something important he needed to know about Athenacia then they should make sure he was well informed, especially since he was the one watching her this entire time. The moogle tried to be reassuring, bringing a hand to rest on his shoulder.

"I've bought her more time."

...

thanks guys! I'll have part three up soon! Don't forget I'm also on twitter: rain00205


	10. Best Kept Secret: Moogle Magic

welcome back! thanks for reading and don't forget to have a look into Twisted by Design, the Terminal State prequel!

...

Athenacia's condition remained at a standstill thanks to the moogle magic containing the daemonic miasma from spreading through her body. Cor had gotten Aranea to take him to the village and collect Evangeline to at least try and buy them some more time and it was working. However, it was only a temporary fix. There was no way to hold it for very long and there were no promising results on curing the virus. Gladiolus wasn't exactly sure what it was that he could do to really help so he stayed in the room with Evangeline while he waited. The moogle couldn't leave or else the magic would stop and there was no way to know how fast it would continue on its course. Athenacia was closely monitored to ensure that things were indeed paused for the time being.

Evangeline didn't sleep much at all. A few days passed and it was evident how hard things were for her to keep this up. Gladiolus did whatever he could to help her out while Cor kept an eye on things as well. Having so many people watch gave all of them a break, except for the moogle who couldn't stop what she was doing. The Shield would catch her standing next to her daughter's bedside while holding her hand and speaking in their native tongue. It reminded him of the time he spent isolated away from Athenacia in the moogle village, having three years to hear all about how Evangeline wished to know her child. Gladiolus wished that the two of them could meet one day and that maybe some of that pain Athenacia held on to would disappear.

That didn't happen. The two women met, Evangeline not sure what to expect. Athenacia was beyond furious at the idea of her mother being alive and making no attempts to come and find her only child. In the end, the doctor decided that there would be no need to allow the woman to remain in her life and steeled herself away. There was a little more to it than 30 odd years of unresolved pain but the Shield was unable to do anything about it. Athenacia shut down at the very suggestion of being nice to her mother even though it got on his nerves how she refused to even give it a chance. Now he would give almost anything for one of her annoying emotional outbursts, unable to remember the exact day he had last heard her voice.

Cor was a different matter entirely. The man was brooding more often than not whether he was in the room or not. He could barely even face Athenacia, a scowl on his face at the very thought of her succumbing to the terminal illness she carried. Many times in since she was entrusted to his care he felt like he had failed her, but none of it was true until the moment she passed if there was no way to stop it. The side effects of her death would be catastrophic to Eos, the timing not there yet. With Gladiolus constantly around, there was no way to discuss it either. Cor needed a way to save his daughter and he knew that he was running out of the time he had managed to buy in the first place. Athenacia herself, as brilliant as she was, still couldn't find a cure to this and Cor wasn't sure anyone else could.

A stroke of luck came by one day. Gladiolus was nowhere in the room when Cor came in, only Evangeline who couldn't leave. Looking over at the moogle, she was barely even awake, dozing in a chair beside the bed and completely haggard. The resemblance between the two women was very obvious right now. Since Athenacia was in med school she always looked like she never slept and that's exactly how her mother appeared. As much as he wished for the moogle to rest, he had to take the opportunity before it passed him by. There very well might not be another one.

"'Vange," Cor placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking her.

Evangeline woke up instantly. looking around before rubbing her red eyes. She sighed once her gaze rested on Athenacia, still sick, no improvement. It wasn't like they didn't know that she would get better but there was always the hope that whenever they walked in some change would occur.

"She's still the same," he said.

"Is there nothing that will work?" asked Evangeline.

"No," Cor shook his head gravely.

Tears welled in the woman's eyes. The Marshal reached for his daughter's hand, noting that it was still ice cold. No matter how many heated blankets she had, her body temperature still wouldn't rise. All the implications of her path weighed heavy on him.

"If she dies... I won't be able to contain him."

Cor stiffened, "She's not ready. None of us are."

"As you said, nothing will work. If the human medicine isn't working and moogle magic can't cure her then we have no choice but to accept what must come to pass."

"There has to be something else!" he shouted, "She can't die!"

"Perhaps I can offer a suggestion."

Both Evangeline and Cor whipped their heads toward the voice that entered the room. It belonged to Ignis, who was standing in the doorway with the same solemn look that everyone else had who came to see Athenacia. The Marshal looked over at the woman, hoping that their conversation wasn't overheard. There was a reason, after all, that Cor had decided to keep his real fears from all of them.

"What is it, Scientia?" asked Cor.

"I'm sure you recall the very moment when the secret you've kept from us was inadvertently revealed?"

"And?"

"Dr. Virum was overdosing on a multitude of poisons coursing through her system. The detonation pushed aside all of the toxins and allowed her to live."

Cor frowned in thought, bringing his gaze back to Athenacia. The incident Ignis was talking about played out in his mind, and it forced him to think back to the first time he had ever seen her detonate. She was two years old and caught the nasty round of influenza that plagued the city. It was bad and he was told by the doctors that she would be lucky if she made it through the night. Then she detonated, and mysteriously the illness was gone. There was no medical explanation for it and Cor was not going to offer anything to them about it. The truth of the matter was, it was an anomaly that no one could figure out but managed to keep her alive.

"You think her detonation will cancel out the miasma?" the Marshal spoke.

"Indeed," replied Ignis, though lacking the usual confidence in his voice.

"The theory is fairly sound," mused Evangeline.

"With an extremely high risk factor," said Cor.

"Are there really any other options?"

The Marshal sighed, keeping his eyes on his daughter. It was clear that this was an idea they hadn't thought of and definitely the only thing left for them to try. What was there really left for them to lose?"

...

"No."

The plan to have Athenacia detonate in order to try and push out the daemonic miasma was explained to Gladiolus the next day. Cor was having trouble with the idea himself but eventually agreed that this was the only course available to them. The Shield was not happy with what was being suggested, going completely into defensive mode. His arms were crossed and a scowl on his face. Ignis, Cor and Evangeline were in the room, as well as Gin who was the one currently checking up on her patient.

"Gladio-"

"You're not risking her life," said Gladiolus, cutting off Ignis.

"Her life is already at risk," said Evangeline.

"You bought her the time-"

"And it's being wasted waiting for something that's not going to happen."

"She's right," added Ignis.

"That doesn't mean guarantee she dies!" the Shield's voice rose.

"Doing nothing means she dies," the moogle shot back.

"I'm going to let you do this."

"You don't have a choice in the matter," Cor spoke up.

All eyes went to the older man that didn't seem to want to have any part of this. The usual unreadable look was on his face whenever it came to making decisions about Athenacia. His gaze wasn't really focused on anything, his thoughts more consuming than the current conversation. That was, until he looked over at the younger man.

"I'm her proxy. The decision is mine to make," said the Marshal sternly.

Gladiolus did not look happy to hear that, fuming at the very idea of what they were suggesting. The tension in the room rose as they glared at each other. No one dared speak and interrupt them, not wanting any of their fury to reciprocate onto them. In the beginning they were stuck because Cor wasn't around to make the medical decisions, now Cor was deciding that killing Athenacia was faster is the better choice. What had the Shield so upset was the fact that he was again forced to sit by and watch while there was nothing he could do to help the situation.

"Gladio," Evangeline's voice was soft, "I cannot keep her alive much longer. This is the only chance she has."

He growled tearing his eyes away and then walking to his girlfriend's bed. There was no change in her and the last few weeks that she was stuck with machines doing all of the work for her made it harder for him each day. Plenty of times he always thought about the sacrifices he would make just to have her wake up again even though he knew that she wouldn't. There was no cure for this miasma, it was going to take her life whether they had her detonate or not. Evangeline was right about that and the fact that she was losing her strength only meant the time that was bought was gone. Gripping the ice cold hand on the bed tightly, he heaved a heavy, sad sigh and then turned to look at the others. Giving one nod, he slumped his shoulders in defeat before looking back down at Athenacia. If there was a miracle left for her, he hoped the Six would grant it.

...

A couple hours later, Cor was driving an ambulance outside of the city of Lestallum. Gin had taken care of the arrangements since she knew about Athenacia's ability to detonate. Frankie and Vi had no idea what was happening. Athenacia had to be taken to a large space where no wasn't a chance of casualties. Evangeline would do her best to contain the detonation but she was weak after constantly using her magic for the last week or so. Ignis was there as well, sitting in the back of the vehicle with Gladiolus who refused to leave his girlfriend's side. He still wasn't happy about this but there was no road to travel where he would be.

All the machines that were maintaining the patient were removed, only the oxygen of the ambulance reaching her. Gin kept a critical eye on all of it, knowing that they wouldn't stand a chance if it happened too early. Once the vehicle had stopped, she disconnected the mask and began to wheel out the stretcher. Gladiolus gingerly picked up Athenacia, holding her cold body to his and then following Evangeline out into the open field they arrived at. He couldn't be completely sure of where they were but he didn't care at all. The Shield kept Athenacia cradled to him before finally stopping at what was perceived to be a safe distance away and then lowering to the ground. No signs of life within her, no reaction whatsoever to being placed on the dirt and Gladiolus hated that he kept expecting one. Looking down at her peaceful face made him sigh. He leaned over, putting his forehead against hers.

"You got this, Doc," he whispered to her.

Gladiolus planted a kiss on her forehead before forcing himself to leave. Glancing one last time at Evangeline, he nodded at her before coming to stand next to her. His arms crossed, eyes fixated on the dying woman on the ground.

"Aren't you going back to the others?" inquired the moogle.

"If its safe enough for you then I'm fine," he shrugged.

She looked dubious but decided not to argue. It only took so long just to get him to agree to this, there was no sense in wasting any more of the time they were quickly losing. Taking out the two necklaces, she pushed them together once more and then closed her eyes in focus. Gladiolus watched like a hawk with that same uneasiness in his chest. It was difficult to push the negative thoughts out of his mind, crossing his arms and holding them tightly while he watched an azure sort of glow slowly started to disappear. Evangeline let out a deep breath, slumping in her own weariness. They waited after that, the air as still as Athenacia who wasn't showing any sort of signs of life. Had she passed? It was hard to know without going near her.

All of a sudden, her body arched upward and she took in a large breath. The two of them watched as Athenacia struggled to catch her breath and then began to convulse. The daemonic miasma was spreading through her body and the cry she let out wretched at his heart. Watching this was torture, the scowl on Gladiolus's face deepening with each passing second. He couldn't imagine what was going through her mind right now, waking up in the middle of nowhere in complete agony with no one around her. A step closer made the sound of her wails ring louder in his ears but before he could get any closer a hand stopped him. It wasn't Evangeline, a look back brought him face to face with Cor. Only the Marshal had come this far and Gladiolus brought his gaze back to Athenacia. She was still screaming and that only made it more difficult to stay put instead of run to her aid.

The last two detonations he stayed with her came to mind. He remembered the first, in Gralea years ago. Both of them hadn't seen each other in a few weeks but all of those hurt feelings were set aside. The ruse to separate them was well known even if they hadn't talked about the actual implications of it, nothing changed how he felt about her. Gladiolus refused to leave her, wished to instill the same confidence in her ability to control her powers that he had. The second time was in Illume, again while the two of them were on the outs in their relationship. Despite her constant resistance to him, he was far too stubborn to let her go. Just like this time, she was dying and there was nothing he could do about it. Athenacia detonated again in his arms and both times she did so there was never any damage to anything else. Now she was alone and ready to do it again.

That familiar azure glow started to surround her, only this time it was far more vibrant than usual. Evangeline was working her magic, trying to contain the upcoming pulse of magic. It was easy to see that she was struggling, all the strength used to keep Athenacia alive this long in the first place. At the rate she was going, there was no way that this detonation was going to be contained, there simply wasn't enough power. Shaking out of Cor's grasp, Gladiolus starting running toward his girlfriend as fast as he could.

"Gladio!" the Marshal called after him.

"I'm not letting her do this alone!" he didn't even turn around, wasn't stopping.

Whatever Cor said after that was gone, the raging wind that formed around Athenacia reaching his ears and blocking out all sound except for the heartbreaking wails. Just like before, Gladiolus was forced to fight his way in order to get close to her. It was harder this time but he managed to break the barrier and get to her. He hesitated once his eyes caught sight of her, in complete shock. The daemonic miasma had taken over her entire body, trying desperately to kill her from the inside out. Athenacia was beginning to undergo her transformation and Gladiolus reached out to her.

"Doc!" he called for her.

"Gladio?"

Athenacia's red eyes focused on him, all the while trying to keep her powers from releasing. The azure glow surrounding her was still shining bright, her skin ready to burst into flames. Usually it would be far too hot to touch her, but this time something different seemed to be happening.

"I'm here," he cupped her cheek as the light surrounded him to.

"What's happening?"

The sound of her feeble voice tore at him and he held her close, moving the long hair out of her face.

"It's gonna be okay Doc," he kissed her forehead, "Just let it happen."

"No," she whined.

"Hey, look at me."

He fixed her a stern look and she let tears fall from her eyes. Gently, he wiped away her tears, holding her gaze as he did so.

"You trust me, Doc?"

Her bottom lip quivered, her face contorted in agony. Despite that, she nodded fervently at him. Gladiolus kissed her then, taking the chance while he could because there was no guarantee he would have another.

"It's all you," he whispered, "You got this."

Athenacia whined and he pulled her so that she was against him. It was the first time she hadn't told him to run away and it was a little unnerving. Her body shook with her sobs and he did all that he could to soothe her. Everything was different this time, not feeling her skin aflame nor a pressure within himself building up like usual. He could feel her breaking point, and that was when she let out thunderous cry. Gladiolus held her tightly, watching as that azure glow around her began to expand like it always did. A golden light blinded him, seeming to come from his left wrist and he tensed his body in order to hold everything together. Athenacia's wail carried, echoing in his ears while she clung to him. This was far different than the other times, like he was on the outside of it all instead of riding it out with her.

Eventually she was silent and the glow disappeared. The Shield was breathing heavily, opening his eyes and having a look around. On the ground beneath them were embers though in a very small radius as opposed to the first time he was witness to such an occasion. Amber eyes finding their target, he noted that Athenacia was completely pale and unconscious, body limp. He brought two fingers to fish for a pulse in her neck and was relieved that it was there, just barely though. This was usually the part where she was vulnerable and would beg for death. It wasn't happening and instantly he went to look for the source of the infection on her back. Nothing, not even a scar to tell the story of the journey they just travelled. It worked and he hugged her tightly to him.

"You did good, Doc," he whispered even though she couldn't hear him.

...

Once Gladiolus had taken Athenacia back to the others, Gin checked her vitals and was happy to let them all know that she would make a full recovery. The relief that swept through all of them was like a weight that lifted off their shoulders. Cor drove the ambulance back to the hospital and Athenacia was admitted with her real name and a whole different set of symptoms that would explain her absence. Ignis spread the good word and Gladiolus slept like a baby for the first time in weeks. Cor and Evangeline were looking better after some rest themselves and the Shield was happy to see it. Athenacia would still be out for a few days for recovery but at least she would live. The day before she was to wake up the moogle was getting ready to leave.

"Already?" asked Gladiolus.

"It's time. I shouldn't be here when she gets up," replied Evangeline.

"Might help."

"No," interjected Cor, "She won't even know she was infected."

"You don't think she has a right to know?"

"This is best kept secret. Knowing that she was infected and nearly died only to be saved by a mother she doesn't want will not help her heal and recover her lost magic. Lilium has been through enough hardship and most of it was my fault," explained the moogle sadly.

Gladiolus frowned, turning the words over in his head. He knew Athenacia well and knew how hard it was for her to live with the issues she had at the moment. As much as he hated to admit it, her mother was right. It would have to be a secret until the right time. Nodding at her once, he sighed at the idea of keeping things from his girlfriend.

"You think it'll come back?"

Evangeline smiled, "It never left," she reached for his wrist, tracing her thumb over the mark of the moogle charm there, "Magic like hers doesn't just disappear, this is proof of that. It came to save her while I held her in place. The day will come that she is whole again."

The Shield didn't understand much of anything that was spoken to him, frowning in thought. The moogle just smiled tenderly at him, releasing her grip and then patting his cheek.

"It was good to see you again, Gladio. Take better care of her."

"Hey now-"

"I'm just teasing. I hope next time we meet it's actually a happy occasion for once."

He smirked, "See you around."

Aranea took the moogle back to her home after that but Cor remained. Athenacia woke up and Gladiolus was right there when she did, that tightness in his chest leaving completely. She was confused and a little disoriented, demanding her medical chart to figure out what exactly was going on. Gin brought the forged documents and Athenacia looked over them critically before closing the folder and buying the bogus story presented to her. It didn't feel right to lie to her and he made sure that Cor knew the truth was going to come out eventually. For now, he was more focused on trying to forget this crisis even happened to her. Everyone knew not to tell the truth and they complied, relieved that she was going to live.

About a week later, Dr. Virum had returned to work and spent most of her time catching up on the things she had missed. Gladiolus was a little upset that she was spending so much time away from him and it baffled her as to why he was so affectionate lately. A staph infection was serious but the strain she had wasn't life-threatening. Honestly, he was acting like she had almost died from it and she wasn't sure how to react to him. It was part of the reason she was avoiding him, hoping that he would just go back to normal. Another week passed and Athenacia finally caught up on everything and was actually ahead of the game for once. A quick look at the time told her that there was no more avoiding her weird boyfriend, especially since today was special.

"Hey Doc," Gladiolus greeted her once she walked into their room.

"Have you moved at all?" she raised a brow.

The last time she was home he was sitting in the same chair with a book in the same sweatpants. Seriously, what was up with him lately?

"I'm moving right now," he smirked.

She gave an exasperated sigh before dropping her bag on the ground. Taking a quick look around told her that he did go out today, able to see a different pile of clothes from before. His hair was also damp from a fresh shower. Good.

"What's with the coat?"

He was referring to her lab coat. It wasn't like he had never seen her in it before, but usually she left that in her locker at the hospital. This time it was her turn to smirk and she could tell he wasn't expecting that. Slowly, she made her way over to him.

"Lately," Athenacia began, "You have been exhibiting strange behaviour," she unbuttoned her coat and knew she had his complete attention, "And as your doctor," she was standing in front of him before allowing herself to fall into his lap, "It's my job to diagnose you."

The wolfish smile he gave her made her bite her lip. This was a little more bold than usual but today was a special occasion and he definitely deserved it, even if he was being weird. His hands came to hold onto her hips just as her mouth hovered above his. Her cool fingers touched his skin and it made his breath hitch at the contact. He held her gaze, even as her eyes drooped before she finally placed a light kiss on his lips. She didn't get very far before kissing him again, firmer this time. The hands on her hips came to her back, pulling her body against his. Athenacia brought her clouded eyes back to his face, loving the way he was looking at her right now.

"Tastes normal," she whispered, "Let's test your reflexes," her lips grazed his ear with every word before her teeth nipped at the bottom of his lobe.

A low growl sounded in his throat and she smirked. Her actions continued through the night and well into the morning. Gladiolus barely moved, allowing her the control she so obviously wanted. She was the only one who could do it and despite knowing that she was avoiding him the last two weeks, he still couldn't be happier that she was alive. Keeping the secret from her was probably the best move, observing how she was handling things on her end since waking up. Athenacia was almost back to the way she was when he met her and for now, that was enough. Tonight she showed him exactly what he meant to her and he couldn't be happier.

All in all, it wasn't a bad birthday.

...

thanks guys!


	11. Moment of Bliss

Gladio reflects on his relationship

...

The clouds finally pull away from the moon and its glow shines in through the window. It captures my eyes briefly, allowing my thoughts to drift while I'm lying in bed. I haven't been able to sleep much, something in the air making me more restless than usual. My instincts were usually right when they tried to warn me of omens so I always listened to them. Sometimes I thought I was paranoid, things being a little too quiet lately for me to accept an uneasy peace. Well, whatever passed for peace these days. Or should I say nights? Movement beside me takes me out of my thoughts, drawing my attention elsewhere. A smile came to my face as I gazed down at my beautiful wife sleeping in a rare, undisturbed moment.

Okay, so she wasn't my wife yet but I had referred to her as such constantly since I decided that one day she would be. There really wasn't much of a difference between her and a wife so why not? We've been together a long time and I knew that I never wanted anyone else. It was the same for her, even if she had trouble admitting it. We had been through so much together it was hard to believe how far we came. I still remember the first day I ever met her ten years ago in the Crown City. Doctor Athenacia Virum, walking in, sewing up my face and then leaving without a second thought. I didn't even know her name or where to find her after she left until I got a random call from Prompto. After that, my sights were set on her and I didn't quit.

There was always something about her that made me gravitate in her direction. It wasn't just that light in her eyes I loved so much, it was something more. I found I was going to the emergency room far more than I needed to. It was usually busy so I would wait until it wasn't too bad and make sure she was there before coming with some sort of issue. I could tell the kind of day she was having just by the look on her face. If she sighed heavily, it was a bad one, if it was in exasperation then it wasn't too bad. On the bad ones I never tried to ask her out but at least lighten it for her. On the good ones, I probably laid it on a little too thick but I often find that I can't help myself around her. I kept up my hunt and thought I was making progress until I found out she lied to me, causing her to get seriously injured. I saw her in the Citadel, not really questioning why but finding out that she was going to walk home all by herself at night. I wanted to spend time with her and certainly wasn't going to let her go like that. It had never even occurred to me that she was a former Glaive and could easily defend herself. She lied though, telling me that she was headed to work when in actuality she didn't want me to know where she lived. Seeing it from her end made sense but later on, she was assaulted in the streets and I was furious when I found out. Even to this day, I'm not sure if it was because she lied or if it was because I wasn't there to protect her. The two of us had a fight about it and she made it very clear she did not want to go out with me at all. It was over and I didn't pursue her again.

Then there was a code grey at the hospital. Cor had called us to help since the security wasn't enough. It was a direct order and there was no way to refuse it. I saw Athenacia for the first time since we had that fight in the Citadel and couldn't stop myself from staring at her. The way she commanded everyone and then continued on her job was flawless. It was easy to tell that she had already been there long enough and it was going to be a very long day. I watched from a distance, not wanting to get in her way. I knew she was avoiding me yet extremely aware of my proximity to her. The way she looked at me when she needed me to punch a heart to life again, with absolute trust despite the tension between us, I knew that I wasn't done with her just yet. That was proven further the more I watched her do her job. How she handled the child without her mother was such a tender moment and I was sure that was the first time I ever fell in love with her. Of course, at the time I had no idea I was falling so hard but now it was obvious. The hectic day continued and finally ended after thirteen hours for me. I happened to see her walking down the street, stumbling her steps since she was so exhausted. I couldn't let her walk all the way home so I pulled over to offer her a ride. She graciously accepted and I drove to her apartment building. There was no doubt about it, she was definitely tired because before she left she asked me out for once.

That was how it started, how we started dating. She was ready and waiting, I was running a little later but once I saw her she took my breath away. I must have taken a little longer than I thought to admire her because she was about to go inside. I stopped her and we had our first date. Things were a little shaky at first but we saw more of each other, it just wasn't as often as I liked. She was different from other girls and that was mainly because she had a full-time career that was extremely demanding of her attention. And her job always came first. It was one of the things I admired most about her even if I was a little sullen at not being able to enjoy her company, especially when it came to getting intimate. Our schedules were hardly ever on the same page but we at least were able to make it work. I took my time with her, gave her the space she needed, especially after I found out she was accused of being an Imperial spy and what I thought was the initial reason she left the war to become a doctor. I knew I should have put more thought into it but something about the way Cor trusted her had my gut tell me there was something deeper to this.

I kissed her for the first time in the middle of the thunderstorm at the park near her place, assuring her that her past wasn't a problem. Of course, I had no idea how deep it actually went but I knew it didn't matter, until we broke up briefly before the initial trip that led us to where we are now. Ten years ago I set out on a journey with Noct, Iggy and Prompto, brooding about the fact that my girlfriend was not happy about the treaty signing to end the war. It was all a hoax in the end, Insomnia fell and Athenacia went missing, putting herself into isolation in order to keep everyone safe. The Empire wanted her and no one knew why except for Cor. When we did finally get a location it was in the middle of an Imperial base. Cor brought her back after I witnessed her detonation for the first time, having no idea what I was seeing. We all just assumed it was a weapon the Empire was working on but none of it mattered. I had Athenacia back, bloody and broken, but back. It was a long recovery in Lestallum but the journey to Caem brought us closer together. After seeing her overcome the burden she had been carrying around for years I knew for sure that I needed her in my life. The way she showed strength despite doubting herself helped me learn to deal with my own fears that I carried around. I was ready for my own mission and eager to get back to her after the Tempering Grounds.

Once I was finished, both Cor and I returned to Carm and I was happy to see that Athenacia had fully healed from her injuries. There were a couple scars left on her but they were irrelevant to me. We spent time together and it was one night up at the top of the lighthouse where she was nesting that she was happily reading to Talcott. The two of them got along, Athenacia taking care of him while she was there. My sister seemed to also grow closer to her and I felt something I hadn't before in my life. Watching her with Talcott and that light shining in her eyes, it's a sight I'll never forget. That day I realized I loved her. All along I had but it was then I knew it to be true. It was shortly after that she went missing again, Cor sending me away while he went on with his own mission. When we found her she was in better shape despite poison running through her. Ravus was the one who saved her in the end and we all found out why the Empire wanted her and what that large explosion was. It turned out Athenacia is actually Lilium Aldercapt, the daughter of the Emperor. On top of that, the detonation came from her, magic locked away that burst to life completely out of her control.

So many things came into play at that time. All the mystery surrounding her and why Cor was so protective made sense. At the time there were too many things at once to absorb and she was ready to leave but I wouldn't let her. Just because she had a different name didn't mean she was a different person. Long ago I assured her that her past wasn't an issue and I was reinforcing that. I had long since embraced who I was meant to be and I wanted her to know that there was a way to do it and live peacefully. She gave me a choice but didn't know that I had made up my mind. There was no one else I wanted and I made sure she knew that.

I was brought out of my thoughts when she rolled so that she was facing me and I caught sight of her chest. Those perfect handfuls seemed accented in the silvery light of the moon, drawing my attention to them. I felt that familiar haze enter my mind the more I gazed at her. She always took my breath away and was completely unaware of how much she impacted everything I did. I ran my fingers along that creamy, smooth skin, tracing the curve of her hip and all the way up so that I could take one of her breasts. Toying with the nipple made it harder and I was hoping to rouse her from slumber. Tonight she seemed deep in her sleep, only giving me a teasing moan before rolling away without my hand. That only made things worse, giving me a clear view of her entire backside. I couldn't keep my hands off her, running them along that flawless skin again and causing her to stir. She rolled over, taking in a large breath and slowly opening her eyes tiredly.

"Gladio...?"

She mumbled, my name barely audible out of her lips. I brought my hand to cup her cheek, grabbing her chin and kissing her softly. Her eyes looked a little more awake now and I continued my work. Finally, she had reached a point I was looking for, that dreamy hazel stare back up at me as her arms came around my neck while I hovered over her. I knew just from that gaze that I could do anything I wanted. She always surrendered to my whims just as I did for her. She was the only one who had that kind of power over me and she had no idea. Wherever she was is where I always wanted to be, enamoured with her completely as her sounds of approval fueled me further. It was always like the first time, something I could never forget.

Altissia was devastated after Leviathon left her mark. Noct was out, Iggy lost his eyes, Prompto took a beating, myself and Athenacia nearly died. The biggest loss was the Oracle in the hospital right in front of my eyes. It was a dark day for all of us and didn't have much hope of getting better. After all the tension and pain left on us was nearly overwhelming. I remember the look in her eye when she brought Iggy to Noct's room, the look of being done with everything. Everyone was hurting but I wanted to ease her just as she always did for me, probably without even knowing. She walked up to me and it was then I took her for the first time. It was long overdue, constantly being interrupted early on in our relationship and then never having a good time until that moment.

My girl was always as beautiful as ever. Even back then she was flawless and nothing has changed. As I looked at her now I only felt closer to her than the first time I saw her. I loved watching that face, the one of pure bliss at what I was doing. I knew her inside and out, exploiting that knowledge and stretching it as far as it would go. She was completely at my mercy and I felt like I was on top of the world whenever we were here together. She had given me so much I always wanted to repay the favour, one that she wasn't even aware that I owed her. I was in this for life but I also knew that she was too.

Our lives were such a rollercoaster after Altissia. Ardyn tricked me into leaving Athenacia in order to get his hands on her. I had a different mission to focus on but both roads led to the same place. She was so headstrong she managed to evade Cor and marched straight to Gralea. So many things happened to her and to all of us during our time there, but I learned she wasn't completely human and again I refused to leave her. Noct went to the Crystal and I stayed with her. She was about to detonate and I didn't leave her side. I couldn't, not after I screwed things up with her beforehand. As it turned out, she was able to release that wave of magic and only kill the daemons that were overwhelming us. She was in shock but I knew all along she could do it.

The sun didn't rise after that and we were left putting the pieces back together. It was hard at first to try and move forward but all of us managed in our own way. I knew that we could get through anything as long as she was with me. I was a bit naive then, thinking that this darkness wasn't going to last that long. Eventually we were forced back to Lestallum where she saved my life again and went back to work as a doctor. It wasn't much longer that I started my own training again. Clearly Noct was gonna be a while and I had to make sure I was ready for when he came back.

At some point, I ventured too far and ended up getting my ass handed to me by ancient Niflheim armour in hidden caves inside of a mountain at the border of Solheim. I was rescued by moogles and my life was spared thanks to Athenacia's charm. Evangeline, her mother, kept me alive and bided time until I could escape. I was gone for three years and had no idea how much time passed. The toll it took on my girlfriend was harder than I could imagine. A year after I was gone, she left on her own and wasn't accounted for. Two years she was gone and no one, not even Cor, could find her. Learning everything she had been through since I left, detonating and losing a patient, I knew that she was punishing herself. I was going to find her though, had no intention of quitting. Iris knew I was itching to leave, reluctant to let me go after I was gone for so long.

"Gladdy," Iris's voice was shaky as she spoke to me.

We were headed back after some daemon hunting. I wanted a gauge on her skills and was impressed with how far she had come over the years. I couldn't be more proud of her and I wished our parents were alive to see her.

"About Athenacia... is she... is she really... it for you?"

"What are you getting at?"

"I know you want to go find her but are you really so stuck on one girl? I've seen you with so many."

I raised a brow at her, completely confused by what she was saying. I never thought she paid that much attention but apparently, she had during the time we were both growing up. I knew what she was trying to say and I only frowned.

"I don't want anyone else."

Shortly after that Cor was missing to the point that someone noticed and Ignis had a hidden weapon to find him. Turns out he knew where Athenacia was the entire time, flushing her out of her hiding spot. For the first time I saw hatred and contempt toward me and it nearly broke me right there. But we journeyed together and I was able to get through to her. At least, I thought I was. After she ended up leading us to the moogle village and finding not only Cor, but her mom to, our journey brought us to the Temple of Illume. Far too late we knew that it was a trap, all of us led there so that Ardyn could make Athenacia detonate. He was looking for something and none of us knew what. I had thought I lost her when we were reunited in that forest. It was actually true at the Temple. Ardyn stabbed her, she was bleeding out and she had detonated. I rode it out with her again and then was told there was no way for her to make it. She needed blood and couldn't get any of ours since she wasn't completely human. Evangeline saved her and she started to push me away again. Athenacia was a complete brat all the way back to Lucis, pushing everyone away as we travelled.

It was when she was ready to leave us again that I caught her. That defiance that always rode with her showed its face and she fought me about leaving. It wasn't physical, it was the final battle against those walls she built up around herself for self-defence. She fought hard but I won and learned exactly why she had isolated herself. Turns out she was convinced that she was going to kill everyone, some stupid desire to kill Noct. I didn't believe that load of shit but she did. This scared her more than anything I ever saw, to the point that she made me promise to kill her if it ever happened. I didn't want to let her delude herself by agreeing but I was left with no choice. I had never seen her like this before but knew that this made her relax a little.

The final amounts of her tensions fell and I knew that she had given herself completely to me. I smiled as I looked down her, fast asleep after what I just did to her. I kept my arm around her, absently rubbing my fingers along her shoulder. We've been through so much since then, five years and three of them I wasn't even there. Things were different since then and when I thought that she had given me everything I was proven wrong a few years later. Trach was born and I had my own family now. She gave me a son, something I had long since accepted was never going to happen. Watching her hold our child for the first time, I saw something in her that I never had before. I knew from then that I wanted more, wanted to see that all the time. I did that to her, and I never felt happier in my life.

Athenacia had no idea everything she had done for me in the last ten years and she probably never would. I would do whatever I could in my power to keep that light in her eyes and the smile on her face. I have no idea when Noct's coming back but I'll be ready when he does. Kissing the top of her head, I was finally able to get a little sleep. When Noct comes back I'll make sure that the sun shines so that my family will have a world to grow up in.

...

so this is just before Noct comes back from the crystal. I'll be working on some extra chapters that will come up soon but for now, I'm in the process of completing another chapter in Twisted by Design. thanks guys!


	12. Father's Pride

Cor's POV of the final battle

...

"Where's Cia?"

I asked Iris as soon as I found out that no one was around when I got back to Lestallum. At this hour, Gladio and Cia would be home with their son, both of them working relatively normal hours ever since the Trach was born. A huge workload was lifted off of me after I gave the Shield his birthright, enabling me to meet up in secret with Cia's mother, Evangeline, in order to know how to prepare Trach for the beginning of his purpose in life. My grandson was only two and as agile minded as his mother. But neither of the boy's parents were home, just Iris and Trach. The Chosen King had finally returned to the world, as foretold by the legends proceeding him. Gladio's absence made sense so I thought nothing of it. Cia on the other hand... her fate was so closely intertwined with them and was thoroughly unprepared through no fault of her own. I had come back to explain to her exactly why she was special, only to find that she wasn't home.

"Cia?" Iris looked at me confused.

"Is she with them?"

She shook her head, "No Cia left on her own a few days ago."

I nodded, relieved to know that she was nowhere near Gladio and the others. Something still didn't feel right, a bitterness in the air almost the same as the day I had first met my daughter here in the streets of Lestallum. I looked down at Trach who changed his face to a serious one at the mention of his mother. That calm hazel stare pierced my very soul as it always did when I first saw it 35 years ago, but something about this one was different. I held the gaze of the child in my arms, trying to figure out what was going on here. Athenacia wouldn't just head out for a few days unless it was important, especially not all on her own like that. I tore my eyes away from the boy and looked back at Iris.

"Did she say anything before she left?" asked Cor.

"Just that she had to go meet Aranea all of a sudden," replied Iris, a little confused.

"Shit," I swore under my breath.

There was no time to waste, a growl of anger leaving me before I had the chance to suppress it. I pushed Trach into her arms, a scowl on my face as I bolted toward the door. Iris called for me, not understanding what was happening right now at all.

"Cor! What is it?!" asked Iris in alarm.

I had the door open, about to step through it before I stopped and turned toward her again.

"Aranea just dropped me off. Cia's not with her."

Iris was still confused as to why that was even a big deal but I didn't have time to explain it to her. I had to get back to the Kingsglaive base in the Crown City. Not only would the King need me, but I had to get to Cia long before she found the others. I had to make sure that she didn't let the Infernian out and the only way to do that was to lock her up until the battle was over. As soon as I was halfway down the stairs I started to think a little clearer. If the events that were meant to happen came to pass then I couldn't leave without Trach. I quickly spun around and looked up at the boy, Iris still staring at me incredulously. There was that calm hazel stare again, so like his mother. He was only two, I hadn't had enough time for him to fully comprehend what he was supposed to do.

"Let's go!"

I barked at them, turning around and bolting down the stairs. Aranea was still lurking around the city and the others already had a head start on me. The only way I was going to make it was by airship. Thank the astrals Cia managed to get lost 20 years ago with the dragoon knight, her help invaluable over the last decade. Finding the woman was easy, she was exactly where I left her. I had very brief words with her and then we were in the air in seconds, Iris still at a loss for what was going on. I didn't bother to explain it, my face saying that I wasn't in the mood for talk. Even Aranea knew better than to pester me, the two of us sharing a mutual understanding about our personal lives. My only hope was that Cia wasn't there and that I could stop it all from happening.

We were approaching Insomnia and making great time. That didn't stop it from feeling like we were crawling. My eyes were fixed on where the Citadel would be, desperate to know whether or not the final battle had started. Wherever my daughter was, I truly wished that she was nowhere near this mess. Two years ago she had come back with Aranea in this very ship in order to salvage some tech for an epidemic in the hospital. Ardyn resided there and I knew that I had to start taking back the city with the Glaives. For the most part, the former Chancellor left us alone, but I knew that bastard was aware of what we were doing. He kept us busy, implementing old Imperial soldiers and bases to slow down our progress. It was now I was starting to think it was merely a distraction to keep me away from Athenacia. What better way to take her from under my nose then to keep me busy? It wasn't the first time I had fallen for that trick. I was supposed to be her Guardian and instead, I foolishly fought for my own purposes instead of upholding my duty to her. I sincerely hoped that she was not in the Crown City.

My hopes were dashed as soon as we reached the city limits. A very familiar, azure glow launched its way toward us, bringing with it the sound of a scream I heard in my nightmares. I knew it, the set of lungs on my child loud enough to shatter glass. This time it was after my heart and I nearly collapsed at knowing I was too late. Athenacia's moogle magic was subdued, Ardyn had the keys that he needed which meant he had somehow gotten the missing piece from 'Vange. I clenched my fist, my eyes hard before I had Aranea stop.

"I'm going down there," I spoke sternly, "Keep Iris and Trach on the ship until I send for you."

The woman raised a brow at me, clearly unhappy with the way I was giving her orders. She knew better than to argue with me this time, simply nodding as she looked thoughtful in the direction of the Citadel. Aranea worked for the Imperials, it was possible she knew exactly who Athenacia really was.

It didn't take long for me to get into the city. There were no signs of magic around which meant that the battle hadn't begun yet. The best way to do this would be to get the Glaives to search for Cia. They all knew her, had been trained under her during my time in quarantine. On top of that, after the truth about what happened to her when she was nineteen finally came to light no one questioned her loyalties. It probably helped that she was protected by the sworn Shield and her friend, Libertus, rallying them all to her side. When I first met him I thought he was a bit of a moron. In the end, he was one of my greatest assets. I'm lucky that he was so devoted to my daughter, even back then when very few believed her about her last battle serving the Crown.

As I approached the headquarters of the Kinsglaive, I was faced with a hoard of daemons just outside of it. Two of my men were found dead along the way and I hated it. This was the reason, there were far too many for one person to handle. Another distraction, no doubt in my mind. I had no choice, I engaged them in battle, the only thing blocking my way to find my daughter. No matter how many I killed, more took their place. It was endless and every second wasted ate at me but I never stopped.

"Have you gone senile?!"

I nearly had heart failure at the very familiar voice calling out to me. Gladio, he was here with the others. I briefly glanced at the Chosen King before I was forced back into battle. With four extra people, it was a lot easier, and the daemons were gone. Now that there was no immediate threat, I looked upon the face of Noctis for the first time in ten years. He had grown, no longer resembling the wayward youth that set out from the Citadel, but the man his father had always known he would grow to be. I was relieved to see him, but at the same time, I knew that they had yet to get into the Citadel.

"Glad you made it back, Highness," I gave him a small smile.

"Glad to be back," replied Noctis.

"I've got something to show you. Follow me."

I took them to the Glaive headquarters and lifted the spirits of the soldiers there by introducing them to their King. The years were hard since I rallied them together in search of the very man standing before them. Once in a while, Cia was able to remind them of what they were fighting for, knowing what it was like to lose faith in the cause. Ten years was a long time and I'm genuinely happy it's not a moment longer. I just wish that I knew where my child was. Noctis was quick in his artful speech to help boost morale and after watching him grow up, I couldn't be more proud. My only regret was that his father was not here to see him. Even with Gladio, it should have been Clarus and not me. I found myself in this situation since the day I returned with Cia. It wasn't right and I knew that I should have had the power to change it. I gave them the key so that they could easier get to the Citadel and begin the final battle. Once we were finished, I watched them leave with my heart heavy at knowing I would outlive a third King.

Taking a look around, I set my team to look for Cia in the city, ignoring any confused looks they gave me. When they left I did too, ready to find my daughter even though the magical seal was broken. As I approached the Citadel I knew that she would be there. The flames shooting up into the air told me so, a barrier much like the one that protected the whole city covering the giant building where I served most of my life. Even if I wanted to help there was no way I could. I was getting old, supposed to be retiring and passing the torch unto another. The simple fact that I hadn't showed my own stubbornness. Truth was, I had no one besides Cia and she didn't

"You're too late I'm afraid."

I suppressed a growl in my throat, a wave of rage bursting from within and wishing to take over. I didn't have to turn my head to know who it was. The former Imperial Chancellor, Ardyn, had come to stand beside me as we both observed the building looming in the distance. Both of us had sacrificed a lot to be here at this very moment and I knew that I was far too late to save my daughter. My body tensed when I saw the other astrals make their appearance, using their powers to disperse the barrier and allow the King access to face his destiny. Once the others broke through that wall then they would face her and there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. I was about to move, to help them but something dangled in front of my face. The familiar silver shine stopped me in my tracks and I snatched it from the air. It was the moogle charm of Athenacia and her mother, Evangeline. There was no doubt about it, the seal was broken.

"What a shame, raising children for the slaughter. You must be so proud," Ardyn taunted me and I tightened my fist at my side.

"They'll defeat you and the plague you brought upon us."

"Defeating me is only half the battle. Is your King ready?"

"You don't need to worry about him."

"Perhaps not. Such a shame he couldn't grow more before his task."

"He's plenty grown."

"You mistake which King I speak of."

If I was defensive of Athenacia, I was even more so of my grandson. The thought of this monster even mentioning Trach... It was a tactic to make me lose focus and I wouldn't fall for it. Ardyn disappeared, probably to taunt the boys and flaunt Cia in their faces. Even if I wanted to, there was no way I could help them fight. I had no idea how to reach her and the flames that shot out from the Citadel only told me that she was no longer herself. I had no choice but to watch, my feet frozen in place, heavy as lead and stuck to the ground. Part of me knew that it was because Ardyn was completely right, I had raised my child for the slaughter. Regis and I knew how hard it would be as soon as it was confirmed who they were and yet it never made any easier to know that this day would come. My heart was heavy and I knew the exact moment that it was over. I dropped to my knees, feeling when Athenacia had left this world. It was as if a large part of me had gone with her, and I began to feel light headed. There was nothing I could do, a distant wail echoing like the ghosts in the city.

I have no idea how long I was there, but the second surge of power is what initially woke me from my reverie. I looked up to the sky and roared my own frustration, seeing a familiar azure glow and knowing that it was time. I just hoped that after everything, it was all enough. Taking out my phone, I called Aranea and asked her to bring my grandson to me. The first rays of the sun had started to tickle my skin for the first time in ten years. To know that the King had fulfilled his calling was a joy I could not share. It only meant that he was no longer here, just like my daughter. I stood tall, hearing footsteps behind me. When I turned, I nodded at my visitors and knew that it was time.

I approached the Citadel with tentative steps. Iris and Trach trailed behind me, all three as quiet as the crisp air surrounding us. The sun was peeking its way up the horizon, finally completely in view and lighting up everything. I wasn't as concerned about that as he was the struggle that none knew about. As I looked to the top of the Citadel, I saw that azure glow and felt the blow as if it were delivered to me instead of the person I was searching for. Bringing my grandson and Iris here could have waited, but I wanted to make sure I had all the pieces in play - especially since I was hoping the last move wouldn't come to pass. Just matter of finding the last one to complete the set.

"Mommy!"

My head snapped toward the sound of Trach's voice at the same time that Iris gasped. The boy ran as fast he could while his aunt followed in his steps and I watching intently the entire time. Once Trach stopped, I slowly made his way over, a lump in my throat the closer I drew. Iris was whimpering at the sight before her, and the child's face was grave. My fist tightened at my side, my body tense as I laid eyes upon the still form of my daughter on the ground at my feet. Iris gathered her nephew in her arms and held on tightly, sobbing while trying to shield him from the scene.

Athenacia's eyes were closed, her body covered in her own blood and a pool of it surrounding her. I knelt down, reaching a hand to her cheek and felt tears well into my eyes. She was cold, ice cold, the complete opposite of how a fire God should really feel. It was just confirmation that she was really dead, the first part of the final battle beginning. Judging from the sizeable slash on her chest, it was a greatsword that did her in. That could only mean one thing: Gladiolus had delivered the final blow. My tears fell, images of what happened passing over my mind and making me tenser. I carefully cradled Athenacia's body to my own, resting my forehead against hers as I silently sobbed. No parent wanted to outlive their child, and despite knowing the possibilities of her future, this didn't make things any easier.

All her life she faced hardships beyond what any person could handle. Athenacia was born in enemy territory, part of an experiment in order to unleash a dormant God twisted by a ruthless curse that he created. It was a stroke of luck that Evangeline had managed to escape with her child and bring her to me in the first place. It wasn't like I had raised her all that well, obstacles beyond anyone's control thrusting themselves in front of her at every turn, testing her strength of will in the face of unbearable tragedy. But she prevailed, taking them all head on and proving time and time again that she would not roll over and die just because the universe wanted her to. I taught her to fight, instilled my own unnatural willpower into her and I hoped that it was enough for her to face the biggest struggle of all. No one - aside from perhaps the line of Lucis - was able to fully defeat a deity, especially one infused with the power of the very Scourge it had created. The only hope was the Oracle but she had fulfilled her calling to Noctis, paying her blood price just as he did to free them of the plague. What many didn't know was the third option that happened to be the girl lifeless in my arms right now. It was a piece of the puzzle that many didn't know about, Athenacia's strength to overcome the Infernian and grant us all a chance at life. To heal the woes of one that lost their way in the only way that she can do. The dawn had come yes, but ultimately, everything was in her hands now. I could only hope that he had done enough.

Looking over at Trach, I remembered the brief instructions that Evangeline had been working with me for the last two years. Without having the child actually practice it was going to be hard. I had spent some time with my grandson, but it just wasn't as much as I would have hoped. He wasn't old enough to go outside of the city and his moogle grandmother didn't dare step foot back inside of Lestallum so that left me at a standstill. Figures that when I was ready to reveal the secret I had kept for the last 35 years that Noctis would return and set everything in motion. It was my own fault for thinking that it was a good idea to hide her true fate from her. So many years and I hardly believed it himself. Now it was too late.

There was only one way to do this and it meant that the two of them had to be present in front of the Crystal. The precious gem would allow Trach to enter it as now it would be tied to the astral blood flowing through his veins. Gingerly, I picked up my daughter and kept her close. The dead weight was about as heavy as my heart, to my full height. Iris let out a choked sob, keeping Trach close as they trailed behind me up the steps of the Citadel. If I had to guess about where the Crystal was, I was going with the Throne room. Riding the elevator up was only making that heaviness even worse. Once they walked to the hall I tensed. Prompto, Ignis and Gladiolus were there, looking up at the last place that they had seen their king. As if this wasn't going to be hard enough.

I looked down at Athenacia, my eye catching the source of where she bled out. That was the cause of death and the person responsible was inside. I couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for Gladiolus to deliver the finishing blow. He did his sworn duty and should take pride in it. But the boy, Gladio, that I had come to know over the last 33 years, well it was easy to see that this had killed him. From my vantage point, I could see the blood soaking the uniform of the Crownsguard and there was no doubt that it belonged to Athenacia. This was why I kept them separated as long as I was able to. There was no way of knowing whether or not this was to come to pass and I wanted to make sure that no one would be put in the position that the Shield was today. Now I was the monster about to separate a family on a hunch. I hated every second of this, looking back down at Cia's face.

Iris opened the door quietly, Trach running in as soon as he landed his eyes on his father. I couldn't face the man, my gaze unable to leave my daughter. Slowly, I made my way toward the throne, knowing the steps on the floor as I walked. Up the first set of stairs I stopped, looking around the room for the first time in a decade. The damage weighed heavy on me, but the Crystal was there above the last place I saw his Majesty. I knelt down with Cia, seeing Gladio shield his son from her while they all looked up at me with unspoken questions.

"Trach, come here," I called for my grandson.

Gladio put the boy down and both of them made their way up to me. Trach was almost eager and I wished he were a little older. The two of us shared a connection, simply because I imprinted on him just as I had with his mother. It made things easier for him to listen, much as it did for Cia. He plopped himself on the other side and I was met with his calm hazel stare again. There was no avoiding this, he was as ready as he was ever going to be.

"Mommy sleeping?" his little voice tore at me.

He put a small hand on her shoulder, trying to shake her. I could hear Gladio's cringe. If watching her die didn't break him then this was sure to do it. I let out my own sad sigh and then nodded at the boy. I hoped this worked because I had no idea how I was supposed to explain what was going on.

"Yeah..." I was barely able to form the words, "She's sleeping."

"Wake up!" he shouted at her.

The noise Gladiolus made was almost enough to break me. Iris let out her own little whine, bringing her hands to her face and Prompto put a hand on her shoulder. Ignis clenched a fist as well, unable to see but knowing exactly what was happening here. Trach was still shaking her, determined to get his mother to open her eyes.

"Trach," I stopped him, reaching over and gaining his attention, "I want you to try something for me."

"What?"

"Close your eyes and wish for it, just like we practiced. Can you do that?"

"Okay," he nodded.

"As hard as you can."

Trach nodded again firmly. I intently watched as he curled up beside his mother, wishing that this wasn't going to be the last time he got to do it. He shoved his head next to hers, getting as comfortable as he could before he too closed his eyes. Gladiolus knelt down, his amber gaze fixated on his son just as mine was. He placed his large hand on top of Trach's head, gazing at the two of them before him. Trach was out, it was all up to them now. I grabbed my daughter's ice cold hand, suppressing more of my woes and kissed it and I held on tightly.

"Fight Cia," I whispered, "Just like I taught you."

"Mommy..." Trach mumbled sleepily.

I wish I could go with him, that whatever power as Guardian I had allowed me to perform the task instead of a toddler. There was no help for it, I simply kept my eye on both of them while I waited, hoping that everything I did was enough. If Trach disappeared too far down then I would lose them both and have failed at the very thing only I was born to do. Years ago I would have denied this as my purpose but I've grown much since then. Gilgamesh chose me and I was going to uphold my duty to Eos. Cia's hand was still cold within my own and I was afraid to breathe while I waited for it to warm up. I looked again at her face, the delicate features blemished over the years of suffering thrust upon her. She was right all those years ago when I eavesdropped a conversation between her and her friend. There was no way to change the fate of those born under the Light of the King and because of that we would remain forever: twisted by design.

"Trach," Gladiolus shook his son gently, trying to rouse him.

The boy was unresponsive and I felt my chest tighten again. The only way to wake Trach was for him to find his way back, with or without Athenacia. Gladio tried again but to no avail. I watched the man try to fish for a pulse and all I could hear was my own in my ears. I didn't want to think about the possibility of Trach failing and was foolish for not preparing myself for it like I should have. Gladio looked to me ready to explode in a fit of rage.

"What did you do?!" he demanded.

I fixed him an even gaze but did not respond. That only infuriated the big man further. Gladio shook his son slightly again, desperate for the child to respond. It was heartbreaking to watch and I had to put a stop to it.

"Gladio-"

"What's happening?!" Gladiolus cut me off in a fury.

"Be patient."

"He's not breathing!"

I brought his gaze toward the boy who was still ignoring his father's attempts to rouse him. Athenacia's hand was still in my own tightly and my heart remained heavy as looked at the two of them. Gladio was shaking in fury, scared that he was going to lose Trach as well and I could understand that, but there were other forces at work here. We all had to be patient and have faith.

"He will," I replied firmly, "Just be patient."

Gladiolus glared at me, "You better hope that he does," his voice was low and menacing, "Because if I lose him to it'll be on you and I'll make sure you ain't breathin' either."

I didn't respond but I knew that it wasn't an empty threat. Here at his feet was his family, one dead and one dying. If this didn't work we'd all die anyway, but I would gladly allow this man to take the revenge he deserved since I would prove unworthy of my task. Looking down at my child, I internally sighed, hoping that I wouldn't lose my family either. My attention snapped to Trach, who started to breathe shortly after, melting away some of my tension. The boy opened up his eyes slowly, rubbing them before sighing. I could hear the relief in his father but my eyes were focused on my daughter. If Trach was back then I could only hope that Cia was too. Her hand was warm but that purely because I was holding it the entire time. Trach's hand reached for his mother and I looked at him, a very serious expression as he shook her.

"Mommy," he called to her softly.

"Trach...She's..."

I could hear the sorrow in Gladio's voice and it tore at me as much as the fact that my daughter was not awake.

"Wake up," Trach spoke again, ignoring his father.

I watched the determined look on his face as I waited patiently for Cia to wake up. I could only assume that Trach was successful, that he had found his mother and was able to bring her back. The boy continued to shake her, desperate to wake up just as I was.

"Trach she-"

Gladio didn't finish, a very familiar golden glow emanating from his left wrist. The shape it took, I remember that was where he kept Cia's charm when she gave it to him, having no idea that it was the key to her magic. Her body began to glow in her own healing magic though I found it odd that it was coming from Gladio. It was as if she had marked him, and she was looking to heal her body of the damage done to it in the last battle. All of a sudden, the glow engulfed not only her but Trach and Gladio as well, a blue haze to it not unlike her moogle magic. I felt it within me then and I knew exactly what I had to do. Taking out the combined charms of Athenacia and Evangeline, I pushed them into Trach's tiny hand.

"Veritas, Virum, Vitae."

I whispered the ancient words that broke any remaining seal that might interfere with Athenacia returning. Everything shone so brightly after that and I had to shield my eyes. I never let go of Cia's hand but I was very aware of Gladio trying to protect his son. I squeezed her hand when it was over, my eyes intent on her face. This had to work, I had to know that I had allowed my daughter back and not the Infernian. It was a risk but Trach seemed certain that she was going to wake up and I had to believe in my grandson. I had to believe in Cia, but most important I had to believe in myself and her training.

"Trach-"

"Mommy!"

Whatever Gladio was going to say got cut off by Trach. All of a sudden, Athenacia took in a sharp breath, eyes widening as she gasped for air and then began coughing. She leaned over and I carefully put a hand to the top of her head, just like when she was little. The last 35 years flashed before me, Cia finally catching her breath and then looking up at me with glazed over hazel eyes. It was hard to know if she even was aware of what was going on but the relief I felt almost made me light headed. I rubbed her forehead with my thumb while waiting for her to compose herself. I wanted to tear, wondering if this was how she felt a couple years ago when my time was about to come. That was careless but this was fate and I was happy that she was going to make it. When she was finally able to focus, she met my eye and I could only smile at her.

"You did it kid," I told her, my body swelling with pride.

She was about to respond but Trach had called for her and she snapped her attention to her son. The boy tumbled into her arms and I helped her sit up, allowing her back to rest against my knee while she held her son in a fierce hug. I kept my hand on her shoulder, a slight smile on my face while my eyes were on her. It was surreal but I was happy that this family was no longer broken apart. Athenacia released the grip on Trach, placing her hands on either side of his face.

"You were the one that did it," she smiled at him.

"Sleepyhead," Trach smiled brightly at her, giggling.

Cia kissed his forehead and I couldn't be more proud of the woman that she had become at this moment. She was better than me in every way, especially when it came to her child. I was right when I told Trach two years ago the day he was born; no one would love him more than his mother. I was distracted when she suddenly brought her gaze up to Gladio. I couldn't imagine how he was feeling right now, how hard it was for him to have to kill and think that she would never return to him. Living with that kind of pain could easily destroy him but he wouldn't have to and that released a weight upon me I never even knew I was carrying. Athenacia removed Trach from her grasp, still keeping a fair amount of weight against me. Not for long, she pushed herself so that she was able to sit on her own. Gladio embraced her while Trach made his way over to me. The boy smiled at me and I nodded my approval of his good work. I was still knelt down, keeping my hands on my grandson's shoulders.

"Doc..."

There was still a smile on my face while I watched the two of them. I couldn't be more relieved that they could be together. They deserved happiness and I shouldn't have kept them apart as long as I did, shouldn't have kept her from them but I did what I thought was best and there was no going back now. I looked at Trach and my smile turned sad and rose to my full height. The other had come to greet her and I watched the happy smiles shared among them. Trach left so that he could be involved, Athenacia immediately scooping him up and holding him tightly. Gladio kept an arm around them and it was then I began to feel another weight on my shoulders.

"How?" asked Gladio.

"Good question," she turned to face me, "How?"

The edge in her voice was something I had come to know for a long time. It was her usual default voice when she was upset with me about something and I knew that there was no way to avoid this conversation. I owed it to her anyway and I should have told her from the beginning. Her task wasn't complete yet and after everything she sacrificed I knew it was wrong to ask more of her. I had never lied to her and I wasn't going to start now. Internally sighing, I prepared myself to divulge all the information I had and hope that I was able to come out of this without making another enemy. In the end, it was her decision and I knew that it was asking a lot of not only her but her son as well. I never left her gaze, ready to speak.

Love you kid, no matter what you choose.

...

Thanks!


	13. Conceiving Trach

smut.

...

Athenacia's work day was going along surprisingly smooth, so much so that she found she was actually managing to get ahead of the game. While sitting in her office, her thoughts began to drift far away, to a place not far away from where she currently was. A smile passed across her lips, her body tingling as she recalled the last night before she fell asleep securely in her boyfriend's arms. Those large, expertly crafted muscles keeping her close after those hands ran all along her body. Athenacia could almost feel them still, caressing every inch of her, making heat rise inside of her. One of those hands would stop at her breast and capture the hardened nipple, begging him to tease it while soft moans escaped her. The look in his eyes always trapped her, molten amber swirling in such a hypnotic way while he gazed at her like she was the only thing in the world. It was utterly invigorating, heat pooling into her core while she thought about it, a heavy breath exiting her parted lips.

The girl shook her head out of those thoughts, her face turning red even as she felt her own arousal still within her. Gladio would be home by now, he said he was taking the day to recover before moving on to the next task. There wasn't much work for her to do, might as well spend the time with him while she could. Who knew when he would set off again? Slamming closed the binder, she didn't even bother changing before briskly leaving the building.

Gladiolus sighed as he brought an arm behind his head. Athenacia had to work so he was left here by himself until she came back. Ignis was nowhere to be seen and Cid had also left somewhere with Cor. It was the perfect time for them to catch up after he had just gotten back from a four-day hunt with the Crownsguard. He missed her, cutting things short so that he could see her. Even now, thinking about all the things he did to her last night had him hard. Looking over at the time, he dismissed the thoughts so that he could walk to go and get her from work.

As soon as Gladio entered the street, he felt almost light-headed. While taking the most direct route to the hospital, he saw that Athenacia was on her way back, stopping, as did he once they noticed each other. His cock throbbed, wanting desperately to be trapped within her cave again, that warm, moist cavern that always left him craving more no matter how satisfied he was. Something came over Athenacia as soon as she saw her boyfriend standing there, staring at her in a near sense of wonder. Without warning, she bolted toward him and he was ready, catching her as she latched onto him and crashed her lips upon his own fiercely. Gladio held her tightly against him, wanting nothing more than to take her. He couldn't wait.

Once they broke apart he looked for a place that they could have a little more privacy despite that their house wasn't a far walk. They slipped into an alley, and then an even smaller one, all while still attached at the lips. Once they were shielded from prying eyes he lowered her to the ground and forcefully turned her around before removing any obstacle that prevented him from penetrating her. Athenacia didn't complain, practically forcing herself against him and then releasing a moan once he filled her. There was no romance, just pure animalistic instinct as he slammed into her. A large hand was brought to clamp over her mouth in order to make sure they weren't found out by anyone. They were lucky enough that the echoing sounds of flesh bouncing on flesh wasn't attracting any attention. Finally she stiffed as he reached her release, provoking his own before he let out a choked groan, holding himself up against the wall while she struggled to catch her breath.

The two of them pulled their pants back on before exiting their nook hand in hand and back to their house. Once they got upstairs the tension was built again, only this time there was no rush. Gladio discarded her shirt by merely ripping it off her body, exposing that creamy skin beneath it. Her breasts were captive by the bra she was wearing and he got rid of that as well, freeing them before taking one in his mouth. There was no reason to muffle her sounds and they only invigorated him further. Athenacia was backing up and the two of them fell on the bed bouncing once before he went back to his work. His hand found its way to her heat, wasting no time in starting to torture that as well and causing her body to arch into his. Athenacia's fingers tangled in his brown locks as she moaned. Her silky secretions were spread all along her, those artful fingers toying with her before they were replaced with a very talented tongue. A loud moan left her once he began to taste her, hands gripping the sheets tightly while she arched upward again. Gladio never showed her mercy and she was under his power completely. Both hands held her hips in place so that she couldn't escape him. Her body writhed above his while her moans grew louder with each passing second. The man was merely toying with her, clearly having no intention of finishing what he started.

"Gladio! Please!" she shouted between breaths.

He always did this to her, brought her to the point that she could no longer take anymore and begged him to finish her. Athenacia knew that he enjoyed it just as much as she did, inflating his well-deserved ego every time. Her whines continued, filling him with pride as he lapped her up still, keeping her in place while she again pleaded with him to finish her off. One hand left to go and pleasure himself, always getting off when she was in this state. It was a rhythm that he followed on her which was driving her over the edge as she pushed her hips into him. She was his puppet and he had complete control over her right now. Athenacia was nearly there and that's when he stopped completely, still stroking himself as he wiped his chin of her sweet juices. The look she gave him was not impressed, to say the least.

"What are you doing?"

The tone in which she delivered her question was dangerous, a growl on the tip of her tongue in frustration as those hungry, huntress eyes nearly pierced him. Gladiolus had witnessed this plenty of times, had learned her breaking point, however, he was feeling devilish all on his own.

"Finish," he commanded, leaving no room for speculation.

Athenacia raised a brow at him before noticing that he was slowly running his own hand along his length and back. That look in his eye, it drove her wild and her tentative fingers found their way to her dripping cave. Slowly she ran circles around her engorged flesh but she didn't just stop there. As soon as she penetrated herself, releasing a large moan, she grabbed him as well, causing him to grunt in surprise. Athenacia kept the rhythm going, pumping him steadily while succumbing to her own touch. Gladio had trouble focusing, this course of action completely unexpected. The man didn't even notice when she had begun moaning on his own cock, unable to stop while she kept herself on the brink of release. The sensation was something he had never felt before, falling prey to her plan and yanking her by the hair so that he could flip her over and slam right into her. Athenacia held herself up on her hands and knees while he aimed to please, keeping a firm grip on her hips while she filled the room with her cries of approval.

Again she stiffened, muscles clenching against him in such a way he was forced to spill himself inside of her once more. They were both out of breath this time, collapsed on the bed and gasping for air while coated in a thick layer of sweat. The breeze on Athenacia's skin caused her to shudder, inviting the man next to her to wrap an arm around her small frame and pull her close. There were no complaints, she wanted to be close to him anyway, raising her head and kissing him softly. A content sigh escaped her, heart swelling with affection for this man as she admired him. Lost in his loving gaze, the smile stayed plastered on her face while her own eyes stored every piece of him into her memory, nearly overwhelmed with her own feelings for him. Gladio's hand cupped her cheek, enticing a lazy smile before he claimed her lips once more ever so gently. It was so different from moments ago when they were giving into their urges, this was meaningful like when they had first done it years ago in the Crown City. Athenacia felt the sensation of fire and ice all at once, pulsing through her body with his every touch, unable to contain herself and releasing another content sigh. Gods how she loved him!

Gladiolus gazed at her in such a loving way, watching those hazel hues show him exactly how she felt. It wasn't often that her guard was so down that he could see her so clearly, but when it was he felt like he was on top of the world, knowing that only he had the power to do this to her. There was never any doubt that she loved him wholly, even if she had never really said so out loud. Gladio was the first one to profess love and it took a long time before she told him honestly how she felt - and by then he had almost died. Athenacia sure showed him though, her body more than honest with him even if her words said the opposite. In this moment her eyes told him the extent of how she felt for him, the true depth that it went and the Shield knew that it was the same for him. He had never loved someone so much in his life and knew that he couldn't live without her by his side.

They kissed again, continuing to do so while completely enamoured with each other. Athenacia was so caught up in her emotions, moaning slightly at the touch of the man who always made her feel like she was a goddess. As they rolled so that she was on her back, he hovered over her and she was again, lost in his amber gaze. One leg came over to the other side of her, his body pressed against hers while he continued to claim her lips. Athenacia held him in place, tasting him all the more and invigorating more heat to pool into her abdomen. Taking a moment to look down at her, that dreamy hazel stare meeting him, he ran his hand down her body, fingers ghosting along her flesh those lips parted to take in air, hitching as she did so. The Shield found that she was already soaked, even as he was throbbing despite how calmly they were communicating their need. It wasn't long before Gladio filled her, inserting himself into her anticipating walls and thrusting gently while still locked onto her lips.

This was unlike the last few times they were together, this was a celebration of their love. Both of them moaned into each other, still tasting while they could and moving at such an amiable pace. Athenacia arched herself beneath him, head swimming with each passing second. Ordinarily, Gladio would claim her neck, anything to build her up further, however, he was watching her face as it contorted itself in pure bliss. The passion between them was so high he was ready to spill himself inside of her again, but waited until her rapture would take place. Despite keeping the same rhythm, her cries began to grow more desperate, searching for that release he was promising her, inching her at such an agonizingly slow pace.

"Mmmm!"

There was no way for her to stop, hazel hues glazed over. Gladio grunted, gritting his teeth in an attempt to hold himself back. Sill thrusting at that slower pace, he was easily able to see all the stages of her release, from the moment it happened and right until it was over.

"Gladio..."

His name was but a whisper upon her breath, arms clutching him tightly to her as he allowed himself to fall under her spell. Face buried in her neck, breaths heavy, he finally finished, the tight walls around him providing comfort while he lied against her. Athenacia released another content sigh, keeping him close and moving so that she could place a kiss to his forehead that was shoved in the crook of her neck. Gladio moved, taking himself out before falling beside her, still within her embrace and letting sleep wash over him. The deep and even breaths told him that she was long gone in slumber, lulling him to join her.

…

When the Shield woke up a few hours later, he smiled, moving to kiss the girl in front of him on her exposed neck. A teasing moan left her lips, his smirk growing with his own desire he as looked down at her delicate face. Gladiolus was about to make another move when she rolled to her back, the sheets falling down and revealing her bare breasts. Amber eyes lidded, they rolled over her form, hand absently running along the creamy skin and earning another one of those moans when he drew closer to her thighs. Softly caressing the skin there, he took in one of those mounds, swirling his tongue around the erect nub while his own fingers began to move closer to the middle. Athenacia was still reacting to him, a louder cry sounding as soon as he traced one finger inside the seam. Her body jolted and she remained asleep, causing him to smirk.

Gladio moved his head lower, kissing her abdomen before spreading her thighs gingerly and letting his tongue trace along her soft petals. That sweet nectar was practically flooding out of her, the man lapping it up eagerly. Athenacia began to writhe above him, limbs tensing and then releasing over and over again. The cries that escaped her were more frequent, and it wasn't long before she awoke, a particularly loud moan joining her.

"Gladio!"

Whatever she was meant to say died, the fact that she was awake invigorating him to push even harder. Athenacia's body was ready to convulse, gripping the sheets as tightly as possible while her back arched upward. Somehow, she had managed to slip through his fingers, scrambling to her knees before he had a chance to figure out what was going on. She practically assaulted him, forcing him around so that she could easily slide herself onto him and it was then she became increasingly more vocal. Gladiolus wrapped an arm around her, forcing her to remain still while he worked his way back into control by setting a pace. Her cries overcame the sound of their flesh smacking into each other and eventually she was silent as her release pulsed through her body. The Shield took a little longer than anticipated but soon followed her, keeping her in his hold while laying his head into her chest.

The two of them gasped for air, a sweaty mess while clutching the other in a constant need to keep contact. It was soothing, her fingers running through his hair as she held him close. When was the last time they truly took this much time to appreciate the other? How could he spend so much time away from her? Fighting daemons was the last thing on his mind, needing more of her energy around him. Eventually they calmed down though did not dare move an inch. While laying against her, he grew hard again inside of her, ready for a second round while staring at her breast. What had gotten into him? Athenacia must have been on the same page because slowly her hips began to rock, soft moans escaping her as she did so.

Gladiolus went to assist, to try and help her along, however, he was held in place. The look in those hazel hues, obviously she wanted to pay him back for the way he had forcefully woken her up. Athenacia guided him to his back, holding his gaze the entire time while still rocking her hips in such an agonizingly slow way. It wasn't until he felt something soft wrap around his wrists that he broke from her hazel orbs, looking up to see that she had sneakily tied him in place with the sheets they were once beneath. The knot was tight, making escape impossible – not that he wanted to anyway. Now that she had him securely at bay, she increased her pace and the large man beneath her found that being unable to move was only making her actions far more intense. On instinct, he pulled at his restraints while Athenacia threw her head back in the bliss, riding him hard. Gladio was fixated on her, itching to touch her. Apparently she knew how to tie knots extremely well, and the way she was moving above him almost had his mind completely blank. Growling, he managed to break free, snatching her by the hips and rolling her over so that he could take back control. It wasn't long before she came, gripping him tightly and riding it out until it was his turn.

The two of them gasped for breath, lying beside against each other, wrapped up in a sweaty mess. Gladiolus ran his fingers lightly through her hair, the action soothing his girlfriend and calming her down faster. The doctor placed a kiss to him before heaving a content sigh and staring out into the dark sky through the open window.

"Shit Doc..." he breathed heavily in her ear.

"I can't feel my legs," she smiled.

Gladio placed a kiss beneath her ear, a small moan leaving her and making his cock twitch. The smell of sweat was all around them and as much as Athenacia was willing to go another round with him – having no idea where this increased sex drive had suddenly come from – she knew that she needed a shower. Kissing him once more, she forcefully tore herself from his embrace, having trouble with his willingness to actually let her go. It wasn't like she was really trying all that hard to begin with, but finally she managed to slither out of his reach, giggling the entire time until she was in the scorching hot shower.

Another one of those content sighs escaped her as she submerged herself entirely beneath the water. It didn't take long before she was joined by Gladio, the sound of flesh on flesh loud in her ears, his hand on her backside with a wolfish grin upon his face. Athenacia bit her lip, completely covered in her body wash as she turned to face him. The Shield kept his hand on her, letting the hot water fall over him while she tried in vain to ignore him. Slowly, he began to caress her, running his palms along her silky skin and "assisting" her. Gladio took it upon himself to make sure that her back was thoroughly washed, scrubbing gently before dipping his hands lower, over the swell of her backside and running further, closer to the front.

Apparently she was ready for him, pulling out of his reach and turning to face him in a swift movement. Her body pressed against his, rubbing her soap all along him. It was her turn to caress him and Gladio was mesmerized by her movements, intaking a hitched breath of air when her hands ran along his length in order to clean it properly. The shower wasn't very big, the large man trying to think of the best way for him to take her while in here as the water rinsed all the suds off them. It was hard to really figure out while she was stroking him ever so gently. Just as he had finally worked out what exactly he was going to do, Athenacia slowly lowered herself to her knees unexpectantly. Gladio watched, an involuntary grunt escaping him once her little tongue ran from the tip, all the way to the base and back. Looking up at him through near lidded eyes, the Shield breathed heavier in anticipation, hand ever so slowly coming to the top of her head and gently guiding her back to his throbbing need in front of her. Athenacia was quick to take him in, tongue swirling around the length as she moaned into him on purpose and igniting a fire within him.

Gladiolus found he was unable to contain himself as she worked, his hand still holding onto her head while it eagerly bobbed back and forth. As the pace increased, the Shield's knees wished to buckle beneath him, forcing him to lean over and hold himself up with his free hand on the shower wall as the water burned his back while cascading down. There was nothing else he could feel aside from the sensations of his oral fornication, resisting as much as he could to thrust into her. Hips were still quivering and just when he thought it couldn't get better, fingers began to toy with his sac and another one of those involuntary moans left him. He was going to burst at any moment, hand tightening in Athenacia's hair the closer he drew to his own rapture. As if on cue, she delved deeper, lips meeting her own hand at the base of his cock. A longer drawn out moan left the large man who struggled to stay standing. Body tense, he was unable to hold it any longer, spilling himself into her and exhaling deeply as he did so.

" _Fuck_ Lil..."

Every part of him relaxed despite that he was breathing heavily. Gladiolus moved the hair from his face, meeting the eyes of Athenacia who was still on her knees, however, she was staring up at him earnestly. The Shield was still hunched over, the hand that once tangled in her wet locks now cutting her delicate face. Gods she was so gorgeous, perfection that only belonged to him. Running a thumb along her skin, he soon joined her on the shower floor, kissing her with such a fierce passion that she sighed into it, clinging to him. Gladio kept her close, the scalding water still falling on them but they didn't care. This moment belonged to them and them alone.

The shower turned cold and it alerted them that they had spent far too much time in there, quickly cleaning themselves up despite the large distraction that was each other. Athenacia let out another one of those content sighs as she fell back into her bed, only to shoot right back up in near disgust. The two of them sure had made a mess. Gladiolus chuckled at her and she simply threw a pillow at him before she began to tear apart the soiled sheets. To her surprise, he helped her, both of them starting the laundry before lying on the bare mattress, still naked and tangled in an embrace.

Lestallum was undergoing one of its famous heat waves, the window open and blowing hot air onto them. The scalding shower only increased their body temperature and Gladiolus found that he was still damp, sweat poking through his pores and leaving him exhausted. It didn't help that Athenacia was right beside him, the woman always abnormally warm to begin with. When it was cold she was practically a furnace, heating the air around him and allowing him to escape winter's bitter chill. The strange thing was that Athenacia always complained that she was cold, even in this heat.

The sound of her giggles filled the room, Gladiolus teasing her in every which way that he could. There was no way to stop himself, she was completely naked and pressed against him. Of course, he wasn't able to hide his arousal the second her skin touched his and he was enjoying that hungry look in her hazel eyes, noting that they would dip down quite often. A crooked grin found his face when her cheeks would stain pink, having been caught staring at him. The Shield kept her close, rubbing the stubble of his chin in her sensitive neck area. Athenacia fought to get away, crying in protest between her laughs. It wasn't like she was trying very hard, thoroughly enjoying his attention lavished on her, always making her feel as if she were the most important person in the world.

As she shuffled about in his embrace, the large man gazed at her, struck by that calm, hazel stare. Athenacia kept a warm smile upon her face, ceasing all movements while holding his attention. Gladio kept a hand on her cheek, absently running his thumb along that scar and feeling himself swell with affection for her. Slowly, he brought his lips to rest against hers, eyes fluttering shut as he tasted her. The passion caused her to sigh, reciprocating in her own way before pulling away only slightly. The hot breath on her face invigorated her, however, she was unable to move while their foreheads rested against each other.

"I love you Doc," he whispered, grazing against her with every word.

Athenacia didn't respond, merely pulled him back to her with every intention of showing him exactly how she felt about him. One of her legs came to rest over his hip, readying herself to roll them over so that she could give him the ride of his life. Just as she was about to push off the mattress, a throat cleared that caused her to cry out in alarm, hiding behind her boyfriend so that she couldn't be seen.

"'Sup Iggy?" asked Gladio casually, obviously ignoring the fact that the two of them were naked in bed together and that their friend was standing in the room.

"Good evening," Ignis nodded.

"Could you give us a minute?" asked Athenacia, mortified at the situation, "We're not decent!"

"He can't see us Doc," snorted Gladio.

"He was about to hear us!"

The Adviser let out a sigh, "That was what I was hoping to speak with you about," Athenacia tensed, "Perhaps it would be in all our best interests you keep the noise to a minimum? I uh... regret to inform of your... coitus reaching the ears of those in the market."

The doctor wasn't sure how much more frigid her body could go, burying her face in the chest of Gladiolus and suddenly extremely happy that no one else could see her. The large man's snickering was not helping the situation at all and she suddenly felt like she was in the deepest pits of a volcano.

"We'll take it outside," assured the Shield.

"Gladio!" she cried.

"Good, practice now 'cause it's a long way to the campsite."

Athenacia groaned in exasperation, slapping at his chest, "You're such a _jerk!_ "

Gladiolus only continued to laugh at her, Ignis's sigh going unnoticed as he paced back down the stairs. Once she had recovered, they were regretfully putting on clothes and then began to pack up their things. Athenacia was convinced that they were only going away for the night, however, the contents of Gladio's bag suggested that he wasn't going for a short visit. Matching his quirked brow, she caved, grabbing more than what she deemed necessary.

They were on the road shortly after, stopping along the way in order to quell the urges that cropped up far too frequently. Apparently they had all the time in the world if they were going that slow. Athenacia had no idea where they were going, just kept her eyes on the scenery and hand inside the massive one of her boyfriend's. After one more stop they finally arrived at their destination, Gladin Quay. A smile tugged at her lips, loving the time they spent here when they wanted to be alone. The ocean waves were still soothing, easy for her to block out the sounds of the daemons. There were only two fights they engaged in before they were safely on the haven. Thank the gods that they were still holding their protective runes and that they worked.

Setting up camp was easy, something the two of them did frequently and they were eating their next meal by the fire. Athenacia felt at ease for the first time in a while, wishing that the sun would rise and make it absolutely perfect. As she leaned back into his arms and observed the clear skies, she sighed with the waves and the sound of his heart n her ears. Whatever compulsion that had come over them made her happy that they were here. Gladio was running his hand lightly around her hip, fingers coming up and then travelling back down. A smirk graced her features once he indiscreetly ran over her breast, his face unchanged as he stared into the dancing flames. The physician looked at him and he placed a soft kiss to her lips. Athenacia pulled him closer, tasting him and then she was placed on her back, the large man hovering above her while still keeping their connection.

Gladiolus met her gaze and she could see his eyes darken, her hand reaching to cup his cheek and guide him back to her. His other arm came around her and she sighed when his lips found the sensitive flesh of her neck. Athenacia's hand found the small of his back, his shirt long gone since they had arrived. The Shield moved a strand of hair from her face, lingering his fingers there after tucking it behind her ear. The ripples in her body as she looked at him, every touch sending her nearly over the edge. The waves crashed onto the coast and she felt that she was moving with them, her own flow of love for this man every second she drank him in. Heat pooled to her core when he once again ran over her erect nipple.

Athenacia hooked her leg on his hip, drawing him closer and raking her fingers through his hair. The large man captured her lips vigorously, reacting purely to the way she rolled into him so subtly. The way his body tensed at her movements, the small grunts that she swallowed invigorated her, his mouth moving lower to your collar bone. One of his hands had already snaked itself high enough to lift off her body. The girl shuddered when the wind kissed her flawless skin and he pulled down the fabric of her bra, capturing her breast. A light moan escaped her once his tongue rolled over the hardened nub, back arching when his hand squeezed the other at the tip. Athenacia was quick to undo the garment, moving it so that he wasn't so restricted in his actions. Gladio switched and her hips rolled involuntarily, whimpering lightly and encouraging him to continue.

The man knew her body well, mapped it out years ago and exploited her sensitive areas in order to make her squirm. It worked every time, riling her up before allowing the cool breeze to bring her back down. His hands had dipped lower, one grabbing a rear cheek as the other caressed her hip before coming back up. Athenacia went to reach for him - only to have her wrists held in place as he was able to pull her pants free of her body. The only way to still her movements was to kiss that tender skin, lightly and causing her breath to hitch. That tongue explored inside her petals, the sweet nectar from her ready to make him lose his self control. It was getting harder to keep her wrists at bay, her thighs closing over his ears and muffling her loving sounds. He plunged in further, pulling her legs for better access and allowing one of her hands to find the back of his head, entangled in his hair while her body writhed above him.

When he stopped completely he was quick to hold her down before she took control. The hungry look in her hazel hues drove him wild, one finger pushing past her soiled entrance and making her arch once more, desperate for him to move. Gladio watched her, that delicate face in pure bliss as her hips rolled and he remained still, linger over her and trying to keep himself from taking her. One of his hands still held her in place as the other allowed another finger to join the first, really enjoying the way she moved on him. Gradually, those moans grew louder, her pace increasing and he curled his fingers slightly, making her eyes wide as electricity shot through her body when she grazed against that heavenly bundle of nerves deep within her. The man smirked, straightening out while she chased that high she found, becoming more determined with each passing second.

"Gladio," she seethed, unsure if she was more upset that he wasn't moving or denying her what she wanted.

"Yeah?" his smile grew.

"Fini-"

The words didn't come out, Gladiolus curling his fingers again and making her throw her head back, a near thunderous moan erupting from her throat. Athenacia's body clenched around him, trying to increase her speed until he straightened himself out again, winding her down. The man lowered himself, biting down on her shoulder.

"You're holding back," he said, "I'll give you what you want if you stop."

"I'm not," she whimpered.

Gladio repeated his motions inside her, another cry leaving her, almost echoing into the night. When she was almost at her peak, he stopped, almost laughing at her disappointed sigh when he did so. The look she gave him would have been dangerous if he wasn't holding her down and in control. In defiance, she stopped moving, no longer doing the work despite that her body quivered with need. Quirking a brow, he began to pump her, a surprised moan sounding from her lips as she arched into him.

"Nice try," he said, "Stop holding back."

"I... I... Oh!"

Again he curled those fingers, this time his pace set despite that she was moving with him - likely without even knowing. The large man growled when she dug her nails deep into his skin, attempting to pull him closer.

"That's it, baby," he encouraged, taking his fingers away.

Gladio captured her lips, swallowing her surprise before burying himself deep within her. The slick walls surrounded him, fully sheathed and focused on that face, staring up at him while she adjusted to his girth. He took his cue from her, slowly moving while lost in her eyes. It wasn't long before he set his own rhythm, all that pent up desire exploding with each thrust. Athenacia held on tightly, matching him and singing the song he wanted in his ear. Those nails pierced his shoulder, drawing blood at the top but not on the trail down his arm. His growl reverberated through her body, his own teeth claiming the junction of her neck and her own shoulder.

They were completely gone, lost to each other and not holding anything back. There was always passion in their love, in nearly every action they took together, however, this moment was so intense Athenacia wasn't sure she could endure it all. Gladiolus slammed into her, ripped her hair when he needed it, pulled flesh into his mouth and left marks, invigorating her and bringing her every so much closer to the edge. He caught her eye again, her entire being completely unravelled and it wasn't long after that before her rapture crashed through her body, sealed with a deafening moan and cry of his name. Gladio held her in place as he chased his own release, meeting her in bliss shortly afterward and keeping her quivering body close.

A hand cupped her cheek, drawing her in for a chaste kiss, both of them still deprived of air from their earlier activities. The Shield kept his forehead against hers, still within her and coated in sweat. Being close to her, hell, even having her in a time like this when the world was in ruin was truly a blessing. He was lucky that after all this time they were still together and that all their obstacles were overcome. Gladio kissed her once more, knowing from that look in her hazel orbs that she was thinking the same as him.

...

Gladiolus and Athenacia remained at that haven for a few days, tangled in each other and having no desire to interact with anyone else. It was the strangest and most relaxing time she had in a while. One morning they both woke up and were not nearly as compelled as before for their physical connection. They both knew it was time to go home and resume life as they knew it. Of course, that didn't stop them from dragging on their vacation until they finally returned to Lestallum.

When the two of them returned, she was back to the hospital and he took off after a couple days on a hunt. Athenacia didn't know that he'd be gone for a week, so she was sorely upset that she hadn't seen him, thinking of their time together before he had gone. The girl smiled, having no idea that he would come back and that she would discover that secret she kept in her womb after he was gone again.

...

thanks!


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